Vikingsholm Reviews

Downhill hike means uphill hike after but totally worth it. It was beautiful I love old homes like this with history,

We were lucky to find a parking spot in the small lot but once we did we enjoyed the views, the walk down the trail, and walking around the house at the bottom. The walk back up was not as pleasant but we stopped and took a break several times on the way back up.

I mile walk in each direction. Up hill on way back. Parking may be a challenge after 11.
Emerald Bay offers unparalled beauty. This walk is moderate. Can be warm on summer afternoon. Tour often available of the house. It is worth the time and money. You can also take a tour on a paddle boat to this area.

First point. Do not let the Trip Advisor map guide you. It was totally wrong in location.
However, we did find the place with the help of Google and the Taylor Creek Visitor center.
Parking lot was full, but there was free roadside parking available.
Hiking down was fairly easy, the hike up a bit more challenging, but doable.
The tour was interesting. We both thought it was worth it.
We also did the off shoot hike to Lower Eagle Falls which was short but moderately strenuous. However, being September, the falls were less than spectacular, just sprinkling of water cascading down. We were the only ones there, but the exercise was good.

The history and story of this castle and original owner is beautiful. Such a lovely sight at any angle.

We were driving to sugar pine and saw all the people parked there... the parking lot was full because it’s so small. On our way back, we made a stop and the views were breathtaking. You can photograph the waterfall and Tahoe Lake. If we had more time we would definitely explore more towards the bottom. My son was having a blast climbing all over the big boulders.

Nice 1 mile hike to get to the cabin, fairly smooth trail. A little steep on returning but well worth it. Be sure and take the .2 mile trek to the falls. Parking is tough but spots turn over fairly quickly.

Vikingsholm is a Scandinavian styled mansion/castle nestled down in the trees below highway 89, lakefront at the tip of Emerald Bay.

Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight had it built in 1928/1929 with inspiration of ancient buildings she saw on a trip to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

The Mansion is open for tours late May to late September, from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm on the half hour.
The tour costs $15 for adults and $12 for students, kids under 7 are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Center building on the trail just past the mansion/castle.

In the center of Emerald Bay there is a small island, currently known as Fannette Island. Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight reportedly took guests out to the island for high tea. If you would like to visit the island, you can rent kayaks at the lake shore (for 1 or 2 hours).

The tour of the mansion is short, but informative and supports a good cause - renovation and revitalization of the structure.

The hike down to the park is gorgeous and it is recommended to make a day long experience in the area. A hike up to Eagle Falls and Lake is wonderful with gorgeous views. Or just relaxing and hanging out around Emerald Bay.

The smooth hike down the hill is just a short mile dotted with small waterfalls, trees and a view that opens into the forest meets Emerald Bay beach line. Here Vikingsholm stands tall and statuesque. Although this time of year the season is closed for a walk in tour, you can still walk the perimeter and courtyard for an up close view. Worth the walk.

I toured Vikingsholm on Sunday, 8/6/2017. I guess there's some way to arrange access by vehicle in advance, but I'm not sure how/where you'd go about doing that. The main way to the house is by walking down a mile-long path from the parking lot and scenic overlook above. The Vikingsholm lot is the main spot to overlook the bay, and it only has about 50-60 total spots, so get there EARLY if you want to be sure you get one. No doubt it varies by day, but I got there at 8:00 a.m. and the lot was still less than half full. But by 9:30 a.m. there were zero spots available - cars were already circling the lot waiting for others to leave. The cost was $10/day per vehicle. You can also park a couple of hundred yards down the road at the Eagle Falls lot for $5 I think (about 25 spots), or along the road in that same stretch (perhaps another 20-25 cars' worth of room), but since those options are cheaper they fill up even *sooner*. By 8:00 a.m. on my day, the Eagle Falls lot was already full and there was probably only room for a few more cars along the road's edge. Pull it up on Google Maps' Satellite View and check it out beforehand and you'll see what I mean.

The path down is basically a narrow gravel/dirt road for about two thirds of the way down, and then it's paved nearer the bottom. So it's easy to do. But before going this way, make sure you can also handle the walk back UP. The path is easy, but it is a mile uphill and the elevation change is 400 feet or so. At the bottom you can't miss Vikingsholm. There's a separate building past it by about 75 yards where you buy your tickets, which were $10 if I remember correctly, with tours starting every 30 min. between 10:30 and 4:30 during the season). There's yet another building with restrooms in it that's in the direction of the Eagle Falls trail. I saw that the shop where you buy the tickets sells ice cream, but I'm not sure about drinks or snacks - I brought my own in my backpack. But I'm pretty sure I saw a water fountain somewhere near the house, which makes sense because there's supposed to be potable water at the bottom during the summer season.

The house itself is cool and the guided tour of it is interesting if you like that sort of thing. You'll learn the history of Emerald Bay and the house's original owner, who also built the Tea House out on Fannette Island. I loved the style of Vikingsholm. Different elements of Scandinavian architecture were combined into the house, on the outside and inside, and for a summer house its location can't be beat.

If you don't want to make the hike, but you have access to a boat, wave runner, or similar watercraft, you can get to Vikingsholm by way of Emerald Bay itself. There's a small dock there (which I assume anyone can use?), or you can anchor in the shallow water and carry your shoes to shore over your head.

If you plan on visiting, I suggest making a day out of it (3-4 hours at least). Back at the top, you can walk the path to Eagle Falls and climb out on the rocks for some great views. Besides the house, at the bottom you can rent a kayak or paddleboard and go out to Fannette Island to see the remains of the Tea House building, or just paddle around various parts of the bay's edge. You can also take a trail to the lowest part of Eagle Falls. There are picnic tables too, and a few little areas people can swim, etc. It's an absolutely gorgeous spot; the 6 hours or so I spent there was one of the highlights of my Tahoe trip. I *only* took about 300 pictures and 20 videos!

This is a highlight of the area - well looked after historic home at end of Emerald Bay - bit of a hike down and then up from parking lot by the road but well worth it

We did the one mile hike downhill from the small parking lot down what seemed to be 500 feet to the lake and site of the house. House closed for the season. The vistas and view of the lake from the parking lot to the lake are magnificent. From the House area you can see Emerald Island. The walk back up was somewhat tougher than we expected. What we forgot is that the lake itself is at about 6200 feet above sea level and there is some 20% less oxygen available (pO2 and SO2). This meant that if you come from an area nearer sea level you'll have a harder time. Fortunately it was a cool day. So be advised the lovely walk back up can be a challenge - especially if you're a senior or have walking issues. But we loved it.

We did a boat ride to/from Camp Richardson, from Action-Watersports associated with the state parks system, to avoid the whole parking scenario and long walk down the steep driveway. Our driver, Capt Jack told us we could stick to the schedule OR stay in Emerald Bay longer. Initially we planned an afternoon hike so we left after our allotted time and tour of the castle.

It is simply amazing from the outside but so worth it to pay for a tour of the inside and hear the story. The attention to detail in absolutely every room is fantastic. The views from the inside rooms and the courtyard are breathtaking.

There is a bookstore nearby that sells snacks and drinks. Lots of picnic tables to get out of the sun. Clean pit toilets on property.

I highly recommend this site!

Despite warnings of crowds and of a horrible parking situation, we were pleasantly surprised with our August visit. It went very smoothly. We arrived mid-morning around 10:00 AM, found parking, purchased our tickets, and took the Vikingsholm tour. The walk to the castle is downhill and takes about 20-25 minutes; at the very end of the walk you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the lake. The tour was partially guided by a park ranger. After the ranger explains the history of Vikingsholm Castle, you are given some time to explore inside and outside. The Nordic-inspired architecture of the castle itself was gorgeous, and there are many other interesting features within the interior that the guide will point out for you. Note that the walk back up to the parking lot is uphill and may cause problems for the elderly and little ones. There are benches and other resting areas placed along the trail that you can utilize if you become tired on the trek back up.

We had just spent 2 hours kayaking, eating lunch, and contemplating what to do next, and decided to spend a bit of time touring Vikingsholm. It was the perfet diversion after a few days of hiking and biking and wanting a bit of culture and an easy thing to spend time doing. The house is an architectural wonder. So beautiful to look at with the wood carvings, the design, and the Scandinavian furniture. We really enjoyed learning about the history of the house and looking at the grounds. The hike to the falls was easy and very worthwhile.

The hike down and back to Vikingsholm was very pleasant (although moderately difficult coming up). The house is absolutely beautiful and the tour guides provided colorful and interesting history of the home. The visitor center also had great historical information on the house. The view of Emerald Bay was beautiful. This is definitely worth the hike down and the $15/person cost for the tour.

Service road hike, 1 mile down, 1 mile back up. Not worthy of a family hike, pretty boring. Small visitors center at bottom. $10 to park or park along the road. Get there early for parking however visitors center doesn't open until 10.

Loved the tour of Vikingsholm and learning about its history. It's quite the trek down to it and WOW -- Emerald Bay is like stepping into a postcard. Gorgeous. If I could do it all over again, we would wear swimsuits and sturdy shoes, bring lunch and sunscreen, and stay all day. Amazing.

Over rated and tour sucked. Their “tour”
Isn’t really a tour at all. It’s simply an intake and then it’s a self guided walk around. Not much to see. And definitely not worth the ticket price.

We didn't go inside, but it's a beautiful and unique house with great views of the water. It was a nice little hike to get there too.

Vikingsholm is a must visit. The drive to Emerald Bay is beautiful even with the scary roads. There is a ridge on the way to Emerald Bay that has no guardrails and is a sheer drop off both sides of the ridge. Thankfully it's not that long, but it is super scary going over it. I am glad my husband was driving or I may have panicked and this is a place you don't want to panic.

The tour of Vikingsholm house costs $10 and if you are fortunate enough to find parking in the parking lot above that costs $10 too. The tour only takes about 15-20 minutes with the docent although you are free to roam the property for however long you want. It's not that big so it took about 30-45 minutes total including the docent tour for us to look around at everything. The area is gorgeous and you will take lots of pictures.

The hike - What can I say? It's really easy on the way down the hill because it's all downhill. It's a good mile hike. But there are little waterfalls along the way. Now the hike back up...it's a workout. I work out regularly, although I hate doing cardio...I should have done more cardio in the gym. I def got a good cardio work out on the way back up. :) I saw parents pushing strollers on the way down and didn't have the heart or breath to tell them that they were going to have a workout on the way back up.

It's def worth visiting. Be aware the castle is only open for tours during the summer. We were fortunate enough to catch it the weekend before they closed up for the winter. I recommend going for the tour because you learn the history of the area and the house.

Plan for a vigorous hike down and back up. A great idea is to pack a lunch and be sure to have water. It's probably a 20-30 minute hike but you will want to spend time on the beach and the tour takes 45mins to an hour.

The view from the park is amazing and one of the most photographed in the world. But parking is tight and sometimes dangerous.

I stopped at Vikingsholm Castle during my visit to Emerald Bay State Park in July.  More than the castle, the one mile trail to the castle from the parking lot itself is well worth doing even though the hike back up could be strenuous.  The views of Lake Tahoe and its surroundings are astounding.  There is a $10 parking fee (in 2022) at the State Park parking lot, but free parking is available at the nearby Eagle Falls trailhead (National Forest Service).  In addition, a tour of the Castle is $15.  So, a complete visit of Vikingsholm will require a substantial budget.  When I visited , the castle was not open for indoor visits.  But I enjoyed walking around the castle, and the nearby surroundings including Emerald Bay, Lower Eagle Falls, and the State Park Visitor Center.  

This was probably one of the more fun attractions we have ever done. It is really several attractions in one. It starts out with a hike through gorgeous scenery and ends at the house. I highly recommend taking the tour as the history of area was awesome. In addition you can rent kayaks at the beach and head out to the tea house on the island. You could easily spend a decent amount of a day enjoying all activities. They charge $10 to park and it was even crowded on a Monday.

This is a rather strenuous walk back up the hill but it is well worth it. Unique mansion on the water, woodworking is amazing, guessing they had an unlimited budget.

Loved the amazing surreal scenery of mountains and the lake the landscape of trees complements well with it.

Interesting old home with quite a story.
There is an island you can take a canoe out to and look around for stunning views of Emerald Bay.

Being from Denmark (home of the Vikings), this was a must see, but unfortunately we missed the last tour of the place, so only saw it from the outside. It is an amazing building, majestic in it's raw wooden surface and we were disappointed that we didn't see the inside. We took a swim in the lake in front of the house and just walking in the area is worthwhile, with big Sequoias and rock formations. It's a long walk down there (and back up).

The hike was worth the trip. The castle is charming, and the view of the lake is beautiful! We did this first thing in the morning on a Wednesday, so we had no difficulty with parking, (parking is very limited), and it was definitely cooler for our hike.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to see this, but if you’re already in the area and/or on the trail, you may as well. Beautiful architecture to take a pic next to. It’s right next to the lake and lower Eagle Falls is shortly up the way which is also worth checking out.

Emerald Bay is a gorgeous cove in Lake Tahoe and the Vikingsholm house sits on the shore of the lake with a great view. The hike down is very steep; I found it more difficult going down than up, although visitors should heed the sign that warns you must be relatively fit to do this hike. It took me about 20 minutes down and 30 minutes up (bring water and a light snack!).

Vikingsholm house is gorgeous and I did the 30 minute tour. The tour is mostly conducted outside with a brief walkthrough the ground floor of the building. This was due to COVID restrictions; the tour would have been so much better if we could have seen some of the upper rooms. We did get to peek in the adjacent building with kitchen and servers' quarters.

Although my visit was just a short one, you could make a nice picnic down on the shore for those that would want to carry provisions down (and up) the hill.

Need to get to the Emerald Bay car park, that is not by the lake, early.
Very pleasant walk down to the lake and around the waters edge.
This is not a castle as in the English sense but more of a folly.

Hubby & I enjoyed this tour, found it interesting and liked the exercise the mini-hike down & up provided (going up is def moderate if you're not used to elevation. But doable. Fyi, we're approaching late 50's, both about 20 lbs overweight, but we exercise several times a wk/non-smokers/clean living folks and we did it no prob. I did rest half way for a few minutes, nothing to prove, lol). We had to park on street at the lookout area before the parking lot. It's busy over there, lot was full, etc. We arrived about 1pm. Ride there is great w/the various Vista points. If had more time in Tahoe would go back & do a bit more hiking in that area--Rubicon, I believe?
All in all, it's a nice bit of outdoors and interesting home, if you like those type of tours (which we do).

Awe hiked down to see Vikingsholm but it had just closed for the season. We thought a note at the top would have been nice but then decided we were glad it wasn't posted as the hike and beauty of the place was worth worth seeing. We will return next year when it is open to see the inside but the outside is awesome.

If you enjoy hiking and viewing historic lake view homes then this attraction is for you. Vikingsholm is a Scandinavian mansion dating back to the depression era which was acquired by the state park system and set up as a major attraction along the shores of Lake Tahoe. It can be reached by a 1.5 mile downward sloping trail of easy to moderate difficulty. There is a nice view of a tiny island- the only one in LakeTahoe and wildlife e.g Canadian geese and other birds.There is a $10 fee for parking and another $10 fee to view the home. Overall, a very worthwhile attraction to visit.

Too bad the tour was temporarily closed. Would have probably made the two mile hike worth it. But I still love history.
The mountain run off in waterfalls was very pretty and peaceful.
Really glad we went late in the day when there were no crowds.

It took a bit of a scary car ride and a mile hike to get to Vikingsholm and it was so worth it. Such a gorgeous house, tour, and knowledgeable fun tour guide. If you are in this area, make the effort. You will not be sorry.

My husband and I toure this Castle in Enerald Bay while my daughter and her boyfriend did the Rubicon Trail (over 6 miles).
The history of the women who built this place was very interesting. worth the tour.

This is a mile downhill walk from the car park area. Unique house facing the bay. Museum nearby has many interesting photos and stories. The short video is worth watching.

First of all you have to get there by 9-10 to find a place to park. If you park in the small lot at the trailhead it is $10.00. The trail down to the house is down a steep one mile trail....there are nice views of Emerald Bay from the trail. Be sure to get a ticket at the Visitir Center at the bottom . They are $10.each. Vikingsholm is an amazing place to see inside and hear the history of the house. Truely an amazing place to see! Allow time to go to the waterfall and kayak to Fannette Island after you have hiked down there!

About 1 1/2 hours to walk down and hike back. I missed an opportunity by not taking my lunch - there are picnic tables and fallen trees around the beach area that would have made a perfect break before the hike back up. The house exterior is lovely with interesting details on the walls and chimneys. (No tours this time of year). Ascent is steep but wide trail makes it easy to take frequent breaks. I recommend parking between Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm then walking to each. A must see @ Lake Tahoe.

I had not been here in years and was shocked by the amount of people, rental facilities and overall Disneyland feel!

We arrived by boat, but if you do not have a boat good luck getting parking (which has a fee) and then there is a relatively steep one mile walk down to the house and beach. This of course means you get to haul yourself and everything uphill at the end of your day.

My sister and brother in law have a very nice 30 foot Cobalt boat which they take extremely good care of. You can imagine their displeasure when a man on a rented SUP ran right into their boat (we were anchored)! The bay is an absolute zoo! You can hardly walk along the beach.

Vikingsholm itself is amazing! We did not take the tour this time(which has a fee), but it is a must see if you enjoy history or architecture at all!
The grounds are beautiful and their is a separate museum and gift shop which are free. There are also restrooms. If you do have a boat, you can go out to the island and hike up to the tea house which is great fun.

Having lived in the area for 44 years, I have to say I was shocked by how commercialized the place has become, but unfortunately that is Tahoe these days! I would suggest going as early as possible and enjoying it before the crowds arrive.

Park at the parking lot and take water with you. The smells of the forest and the sound of running water from various waterfalls will reduce your stress level. The property at the bottom is unique and beautiful. We were there off season and enjoyed the grounds, the ducks, the picnic tables and the fresh air.

Hiked along the edge of Emerald Bay to the Castle.Hiked about 1.7 miles each way. it was an easy hike and wiell worth it.

One of the activities you should definitely do in the Tahoe area is to take the hike to Vikingsholm and take the home tour. The walk down is very pleasant but the walk back up can be strenuous mainly because you have to remember that you're at over 6,000 above sea level. However, just take breaks on the way up and enjoy the views of Emerald Bay. The home tour is really interesting. The home has been preserved well and it's a neat look at another way of life.

Situated in Emerald Bay of Lake Tahoe, this castle has an interesting history, architecture, and views. Good place to visit when you are at Lake Tahoe

Interesting to see a glimpse of life in the gilded age. Hike down to home is steep and is approximately 1 mile. Wear comfortable shoes and try to avoid heat of the day.

The house is cool, of course, but walking down to it and around the lakeshore is the best part of making a stop here. You can rent kayaks to paddle around Emerald Bay. Make a day of it and walk some of the gorgeous Rubicon trail that runs in either direction from the house. Be sure and go early to get parking up near the main road.

Walked down from the car park to the lake level to enjoy unparalleled views of the lake. The house is not open at this time of year but the exterior is still very interesting. Picture shows gasoline pump behind the garage.

The house like many other attractions in South lake Tahoe is closed in October. You can pay $10 to park in the nearby parking lot and walk around the house but if you want to get a tour of the place make sure you come some other time.

This was a fun tour and we enjoyed the experience of hiking down to it. But they are not kidding - this is a STEEP hike back up, and if you are not pretty fit, you will have a tough time. Wear workout clothes and good shoes for a strenuous hike.

Nice walk down to the beach with beautiful views of the bay. Keep in mind it is a steep walk back up to the parking area.

The trail leading to this place is easy and can be easily done, though there is a little bit of hike on you way back if you park your car at Vikingsholm parking spot. There is a beach access from the castle, so you can plan accordingly. The only downside for us was that the castle was not open during this time of the year and we could not go inside to see the art.

Spectacular views of Emerald Bay plus a castle and waterfalls! What more can you ask for? Arrive early to avoid the crowds and parking jam! Unfortunately, Vikingsholm was still closed for the season when we visited in late April so we will return to tour the house. After an easy hike down from the parking lot, we took in the views and strolled by the lakeshore before heading up a trail to the Lower Eagle Falls viewing spot. From there we headed up the falls, scrambling over the rocks, until we reached the road above. A nice hike without the tourists.

Went with my family members and we enjoyed the hike down to Vikingsholm and exploring the Scandinavian styled house. Everyone enjoyed the day, however if you decide to take the additional hike to the waterfalls, it is even more worthwhile of your time there. However the hike back to the parking lot is steep and also has many pleasant sights on the way.

it was a wonderful tour and very interesting. lake tahoe is a beautiful lake and driving around we stumbled on this tour.

My husband didn't really want to tour this beautiful home, but after he did, he agreed it was interesting and fun to do. The tour guide told great stories about the house and the owners who had occupied it. Views of the lake are beautiful.

We were told that this house was only accessible by private boat. We got to sail by and take photos from the M.S. Dixie II sternwheel boat. This property has an interesting history.
The lady who owned this home frequently went to the teahouse on Fannette Island (by rowboat) to have afternoon tea.

This was not our 1st visit.
We have toured & hiked at this beautiful, historic spot many times -- in all seasons.
But this visit was short & aggravating. Early on a weekday during a pandemic & every possible parking spot, even the illegal possibilities along the side of curvy Rt
89, was filled. Worse yet were the numbers of people, mostly young adults, without masks.
Tahoe transit needs to institute the kind of free tour busses national parks use. Careless tourists are ruining its beauty & safety.

We rented a boat and parked it near the shore. The grounds and the building are beautiful. You have to do the tour to see inside.

The hike to Vikingsholm is all downhill and pretty easy. Back up a bit tougher but if you are in any kind of shape it’s doable and worth the effort. Just a gorgeous home on a magnificent lake. The tour of the house was pretty brief but informative. The $10 entry fee at least gets you in so it is worth it. Even if you don’t go inside it’s still great. While you are down there, take the short hike to Lower Eagle Falls. A well spent couple hours.

This house is amazing!! Such an amazing woman who lived there! The tour is about 30 minuets. Our guide talked for about 10-15 minuets then let us explore on our own!
The parking is a nightmare!! Seriously if you’re not there I assume like an hour or more before they open the tiny parking lot, then you’re walking!! The hike down, not so bad.... it’s the up part that gets ya!! It’s no joke!!
Take lots of water!! And comfortable shoes!!
Definitely a must see

This is a great place to visit while at Lake Tahoe. Very interesting history; very interesting location and structure. To get to Vkingshiolm from the parking area, you may need to hike about a mile downhill...AND...then count on hiking the same distance uphill (kind of tough for the elderly...but we are in our 70's or on SS and did it!). You can get to this loving spot via boat . . . easiest way to visit without any physical activity. There is also a small beach area, not crowded, and a good place for little ones!

We were only able to view the outside as the tours were closed. We got some good photos of the outside and grounds of the property.

The Vikingsholm park is open at sunrise and at 6.30am the colors are amazing and parking lot empty. A great time to enjoy an early visit and return for a leisurely breakfast. The gravel road is not steep. You can rent kayaks at the bottom so bring a swimsuit for a greater adventure. There is a 1.6mile trail from the Eagle Creek Bridge that goes back up to Eagle Creek campground. I did not take it but the sign is clear.

Did the Rincon hike from the upper campgrounds to Vikingholm. Interesting historical tour. $10/person. Access to Emerald bay beach.

It is a long walk down to the castle but once you get there its very beautiful. The tour guide was great and after she went through the history of how the house was built and the story behind it, we were allowed to walk through the house and check it out. The rooms are blocked off but you can still walk through the house to look into all of the rooms. The hike back up the hill to the car was no joke so make sure its not a super hot day or you aren't pushing a stroller! Id also recommend going first thing in the morning and or on a week day. Not much parking when it gets busy. We got there first thing in the morning and kept our car parked in the spot while we hiked different areas around there as well. Its around $9 to park and there isn't much parking on the side roads. There is also a place near the castle where you can rent paddle boards and kayaks so you can go out to the island and check it out. That was beautiful as well.

we didn't tour the castle (because we were short on time and they were closed for the day) but the trail to the castle AND the exterior/grounds are still absolutely impressive! (I will imagine that the inside is equally unique.)
the beach in front of the castle is very peaceful and a great place for a simple picnic or quick swim. But the castle itself is the real feature. the architecture, the grass-covered roof, the inner garden, etc are all so striking. I highly recommend a walk to/around the property, even if you don't have time to tour inside the building

I have been visiting the South Lake Tahoe area for 50 years and only just did the Vikingsholm tour for the first time. Wish we'd done it sooner! Amazing history, terrific docent, and you're allowed to roam by yourself after the tour. Got some great photos and memories, and a couple of days of sore muscles from the hike back up to the highway. :)

This was an excellent hiking trip. Busy trail. The trail is well groomed but has an incline for those who may find that hard. The scenery was great!! The water side home there is a historic treasure. It was not open when we went but you can see how they a trying to preserve it and has historical info there.The lake area has picnic tables and the scene is unforgettable!!. Definitely worth the trip!! Benches on the trail and parking is easy. We parked down the road and walked up a safe sideroad trail to the trail head.

We walked down the path to see the castle. It was beautiful and very interesting to see. There was a nice gift shop with Ice cream bars!! Easy to walk down to, but a little harder climbing up. Not bad though.

Part of Emerald Bay State Park. Even if you don’t choose to tour the home it’s a nice area to walk around. Some good trees, waterfall, lakefront. Some people came prepared to swim. We did the tour. It was only about a half hour so seemed a bit expensive, however, these monies are used to keep the property up and open to the public so money well spent. We liked that the docent gave information about the home then guests are able to wander around. As noted by others and in the guide book the pathway is very steep. It’s not challenging as far as surface is concerned but is steep. Parking can be a challenge. We did it on our way back down the western coast of Tahoe and managed to park to the side of the road a short distance away. The last tour is at 4:00.

This is very unusual house built by the lake. It has very interesting history. It would be nice to see it inside. Unfortunately there is no option like that during the winter. We could only see it from outside. Anyway it looks very nice. Also the area around it is beautiful.
We were lucky to be able to get there because there was no snow. Normally it may not be possible during the Christmas Season.
I recommend it.

RomanP

When my family and I went to Emerald Bay, we went to Vikingsholm. It was really cool, seeing this old mansion in Lake Tahoe. It had amazing architecture and design, like Norse or Scandinavian features. There were cool stories about the woman who once lived in Vikingsholm, and how caring and kind she was.
We couldn’t go into rooms, though it still was cool. The tour was mostly on what happened in Vikingsholm. Great tour! Took so many pictures.

We hiked down to Vikingsholm knowing that it was already closed for the season. It's a beautiful, easy walk downhill on a nice, shaded, wide trail. Going back up was harder, of course, but still well worth it. Lots of places to sit and rest if you get tired or just want to enjoy the views. The view of Emerald Bay is lovely.

Built by a wealthy woman from Sweden to excentuate the crafts of her home country.
Woods, materials, architecture design, and craftmen builders were imported from Sweden.
The home is a rare jewel on Emerald Bays clear, greenish waters.
Available for tours other than winter.

This home is a short hike down to Emerald Bay. It's a short detour from other plans but worth it. A nice experience.

The parking lot for Vikingsholm is just a short way past the Eagle Falls lot on Hwy 89 north. It is a pretty big lot and I believe there was a $7 parking fee. We (my grown daughter, wife and I) got there before 8 AM and there was only a couple other cars. When we left at about 3:30 PM the lot was full and people were waiting for spaces. There is a truly awesome view of Emerald Bay from the lot. Walk down the dirt road that switchbacks down the ridge to the lake. It is a scenic easy walk down but be advised it is much tougher coming back up! My wife and I are in our 60s and have feet and knee issues but we were able to make it down, hike and explore all day, and make it back up. it wasn't fast but we did it! At the lake we continued straight ahead past the mansion to the visitor center. There is an interesting history of the are in the center and you can sign up for a tour of Vikingsholm (we didn't do it). Behind the building is the trail to Lower Eagle Falls. It is a short in-and-out trail but it is uphill, often on stone steps. The falls is beautiful and worth your time and effort. We hung out around the house and on the beach. The longer we were there the more people showed up. It was mid-September and although the sun was bright the air was cold and windy. Several people braved the chill and went swimming. There are also kayaks to rent. We brought a picnic lunch with us and ate at a lakeside table. After lunch we hiked the Rubicon Trail as far as Emerald Point (our plan was to hike the Rubicon later in the week from DL Bliss State Park but an early snow changed our minds). The area is simply gorgeous, it was one of our favorite days of the week. You should go!

Parked early 9:30AM and paid the $10 pkng fee at machine. Portapottys in pkng lot were gross - no toilet paper in any of the 4 stalls😫
Downhill 1 mi. walk was pleasant and easy with shade from trees- gravel and some pavement at bottom.
Views are awesome! Stop often to snap pics. Uphill walk was slower.
Tour is $10, lasts 0.5 hr. Last 10 mins you can go around on your own. Ticket money goes to restoration and upkeep of property. Bathrooms were gross here too- no paper towels. Very interesting history with visitors center next door.
Lakeside beach with great views!
Part of Rubricon Trail if you want to hike.

Fantastic tour after hours with friends arranged by a local club. An amazing place that I would have loved to have lived in. The whole event was quite an experience and we were honoured to have such a wonderful visit.

I am 75, my husband 76, the hike down was beautiful and fine for me but oh the hike up much harder for me then I anticipated . The castle is also not open to tour this time of year so my chances of ever seeing inside are nil ( I did know that it was not open for tours) the area is absolutely gorgeous and it was easy for my husband but he hikes a lot and I walk a couple miles daily on the flat, we live a sea level so the elevation was a problem for me too just thankful I made it back up it took me and hour only 30 minutes going down

Getting to Vikingsholm is the hard part. We went on the last guided tour on the last day of the season (Sept 30) and there was no parking anywhere near the trailhead. We parked 3/4 mile away on side of road and then walked to trailhead. Trail is steep (going down is much easier than hiking back up). The house itself is relatively small but the site is truly majestic. The house was built without cutting down a single tree and so the Old Growth Pines and Cedar have all been untouched. Beautiful views of Emerald Bay. We did M.S. Dixie II tour earlier in day (departing from Zephyr Cove) so we could see Vikingsholm from the water and then we drove to site after the tour. Great way to experience the area from land and water.

Its a great hike down with stunning views. you can park at the desolation wilderness pull out or in the parking lot. Arrive early to get a parking spot. Bring lots of water and swim trunks

If you have not seen Vikingsholm it is great. Try not to go in the rain or snow, but great if sunny. It is an old rustic place with get views and nice legends. The tours a very good. Sometimes there is a lot of crowds so it take time to get into the house and tours. If you are in Lake Tahoe worth the time to see. Unless you have been the the Vikings villages in Scandinavians.

We hiked down the one mile easy smooth trail. I liked the viking styled cabin and reading about life in the past. A nice waterfall to hike to too. Back up was harder but worth the trip. We brought a lunch and had a wonderful spot viewing the lake to picnic with a nice table.

This little hike is always enjoyable. A simple walk down affords great views of the lake and mountains. At the bottom of the path is the historic house and a nice beach. The walk up requires a little effort but is a great stroll. This hike is a great family adventure.

Very beautiful and great architectural structures. Very interesting place to go for fun. Live in the past for a moment. Feel the ambiance waiting at your side.

A great view of the lake and falls. There is a trail as well that I did not have time to hike but climbed to the top of a large rock formation to take some great photos of the falls! Day use $10.00. They had 15 minute parking spots for people to just take a photo and run like I did. Next time I will plan a hike.

Easy trail. Downhill to get to castle. Uphill, but doable to get back to parking lot. The same trail gets you to the beach. The castle tours are currently cancelled due to covid. The castle is a house. Not a fairy tale castle. I’m just clearing that up since we were expecting something different, but to be fair, we had not done our research.

Parking is available for a fee. There’s beautiful views of emerald bay from the parking lot. Plan to spend some time there taking pictures.

Really neat to go through the house. Felt a bit rushed but it was worth the money to see how the rich lived in that day. If you like this, you'll LOVE Tallac historic site!

We saw a sign for this "castle" at a nearby overlook and decided to go check it out. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because we could not go inside as it was closed for the season. It is in a beautiful spot for photos, a picnic, or just a rest at the top of the hill. You have to walk 1.1 miles downhill to see Vikingsholm. You need to remember that you have to walk back up that hill!!!! The history of the "castle" is quite interesting and viewing the outside and the inner courtyard was still pretty cool. You are down at the lakeshore so this would be a nice area for lunch and exploring. The bathrooms were still open and in decent condition compared to those at other locations we were at that day.

Beautiful historical home, not just for the area but for the style and architecture. Inexpensive and short "tour" but you also get to wander and take as many pictures as you want of the home. The hike down is fairly easy, but the hike back up seemed three times as long! We rested our legs by renting a kayak for an hour trip around the bay. The kayak company had great recommendations for places to paddle to and see old landslide debris under the water as well as a sunken barge.

We signed up for an after hours private tour, and so got to see Vikingsholm in a special way. We drove down through the forest on a service road through giant trees, just a beautiful sight. We were led by docents through the entire building, with stories about how the home was developed, used, and the people who lived there. Then we had a question and answer period with a lady who had summered there for many years. The view of Emerald Bay from the Morning Room is spectacular, the architecture of the building very distinct and unusual with it's sod roof, turrets and towers. But the setting itself is the star for me, majestic, awe inspiring....

This was a nice quick stop. The price was reasonable but the tour was quick. 15 minutes at best. They give you an extra 15 minutes to look around. The story of the house wasn't extremely exciting, but good to know the background. The house itself has cool features and the view of Emerald Bay is great. Good place to spend half a day because you can walk around and go in the water if you would like. Worth a visit, but the tour could have been more extensive.

We struggled to park in the crowded parking lot of the road, hiked down the side of the mountain and then toured this place. Kids were a little bored but it wasn't too long for them. Nice hiking venue. The struggle was real going back up, though!

The actual house was closed because of COVID-19, so we we're just able to walk around. We followed the trail around the bay to the boat in campsites. Lovely weather, beautiful trails, and well maintained. Definitely get there early. We parked around 7:30 and there were only a few other cars. By the time we left at 11:30 the parking lot was full and there were a lot of cars circling. The walk down was definitely easier than the walk up, but then again, I'm not in the best shape.

Beautiful! Not for little kids. Mile down and back with drop offs. House nice. Trails to see falls cool. Emerald Bay is gorgeous. Restrooms at bottom. Parking limited and at top only.

The parking was very busying and we had to walk down the road almost a mile to find a place to park. Kind of dangerous roads in that area. Hike down was beautiful and we toured the home. Hike back up was a little mean for us.

Still lots of snow when I visited on 21 April, but the highway was clear and dry. It was a gloriously sunny day -- blue sky and water, green trees, white peaks. There was lots of water flowing down streams from snow melt. Trails were basically inaccessible unless one was prepared to walk on top of deep snowbanks.

While finding a parking place can be a challenge (don’t even try on a summer weekend) the hike in and the grounds are more then worth the effort. Our group visited three historic mansions on Lake Tahoe, but the uniqueness and beauty of this mansion and Emerald Bay make Vikingsholm stand above the rest. The tour is a most do, and plan to stay and enjoy the area for the day.

The short walk to the lake from the parking lot is an easy, enjoyable 1-mile hike, suitable even for strollers. The parking cost $10 and covers all California Parks with parking for the day. We enjoyed the scenery, but did not pay for the guided tour of the Vikingsholm Castle. We looked at the photos in the Visitors Center and enjoyed the short video of the progressive owner Lora Josephine Knight. I learned that she was the one who financed Charles Lindbergh's first trans-Atlantic flight and only the men were credited for helping him. I would highly recommend to pack a picnic, as there are picnic tables right on the edge of the lake.

Make sure you are in good shape when you take the hike from the top of the mountain to Vikingshikm. It is worthwhile to do, but make sure you take the bottle water with you. You can purchase it at the bottom but you may need it on the way down. Parking is extremely limited.

The site is stunning and the castle tour is worth the hike. The bay has an amazing view and a family friendly beach. Drinks and snacks available in the visitor center. Take water, the hike back up is steep.

Really scenic area the Vikingsholm is down a fairly steep trail for a mile. Return is more difficult all up hill. But beautiful area next to the lake. Worth the hike.

Go step back in time....to see this quaint way of life. Seems modest by today's standards but really a great way to learn about old TAHOE ....so GO INSIDE!!! This is a historical home with a priceless view.

Great experience and people! Charlie, Stacy, and G were wonderful! They were helpful with giving insight in the whole tour. They made us want to do this tour again with our whole family!

Nice hike to do early in morning or late afternoon in summer. Bring a lunch and relax by the lakeside. There are some picnic tables too.

Great tour by very knowledgeable guide. The history and restoration of this beautiful stone, wood and earthen home on the shore of Emerald Bay is worth the effort to get there.

It is a long down hill trail if you don't have a boat to get you there which means it is a long UPHILL trail to return to the parking area.
The home is being constantly maintained so it is almost as grand as when it was built nearly 100 years ago.

The furnishings are made up of both original pieces, replica pieces and representative pieces based on the homes historical photos. The living room contains an original rug made for the original owners of the home as well as carvings, lamps, clocks, etc. Amazingly the clocks still work and are unique in their own right.
You can't help but get a feel for what it was like to spend your summers in this home (even if you were one of the many servants living here.

The tour gives you free access to almost all of the home and ends in the courtyard where one of the original cars is housed in the garage of one wing and the servants quarters the other wing. Interestingly, these wings had and have sod roof coverings.

It is easy to spend an hour or so to take the tour and learn about the life of privilege circa 1929. .

Vikingsholm is a lovely manor. However the only two ways to get there is by private boat (via Emerald Bay) or hike down from a parking lot. The hike is only about a mile long HOWEVER it is steep and should only be done with appropriate shoes (i.e. no flip-flops) and by people in good health.

The house (built in 1920s) is just lovely and our guide/park ranger was very knowledgeable and really give us a good idea of the home's history.

So worth the 2 mile round trip hike to tour this gorgeous home. Almost everything is original in the home. This history is very interesting, our tour guide did a wonderful job. There is a small shop in the ticket house where you can purchase a snack & beverage. This is a must do while visiting Emerald Bay.

Beautifully built and furnished by an amazing woman at age 65. The tour guide was personable and knowledgeable, the design of the home and location were supreme. Wow - how I would've loved to have lived there back in that time with so much of Emerald Bay at my disposal! Great gift store there too! Spent $185 on fun stuff at that state park.

When traveling to the area don't miss this amazing place open seasonally for tours inside. The hike down to the cove is pretty steep which means it can be a little strenuous to hike back up but well worth it. I read a number of reviews before visiting saying things like no flip flops, wear sturdy shoes very strenuous but obviously these are not individuals that do a lot or even average amount of hiking. Yes it is steep but take your time and enjoy the view.....it's not a race. There are many rest areas if needed on the way up or down. The house is awesome both inside and out and if you can kayak out to the island and hike up to the tea house (this is where I would say flipflops may be challenging as rugged rocks and no clearly designated path). Another great spot for a picnic

Great hike but so worth it to see the gorgeous architecture, definitely a workout to hike back up the trail. Highly recommend

This is a very unique place and rich in history. The volunteer that took us around and explained about the history was excellent!!! We got a book after the tour which was not expensive and was a very nice read. A must visit place if you are in Lake Tahoe!!!

Didn't get to take the tour because we were there in off season. The hike was beautiful but when they say STEEP they mean it.

Easy paved walk down to the house. The tour was inexpensive and guide was personable. Great for anyone that enjoys history, architecture and art.

This is a very nice house and close to the lake . ............ nice walk with family and friends you can breathe the nature in this mountains.

Definitely recommend this hike if you're in the area. Beautiful area with a secluded beach right outside the Vikingsholm castle. We didn't tour the castle or even look inside but we had fun at the beach and hiking around the area. It's a tough hike back up to the top so be prepared.

It is a beautiful location. The home is beautiful and it's grounds. I was able to take the tour with family and friends.

Combine a some hiking exercise with historical discovery. This landmark is an important original home of Lake Tahoe. Guides are knowledgeable and will answer all your questions. Parking can be a challenge and check schedule for opening. We were lucky to catch the last weekend...then they close for the winter.

Vikingsholm finally opened for tours May 29, 2021, after being closed since March 17, 2020, some 15 months!

We parked on the side of the road 1000 feet away, down near the Eagle Lake Parking lot, which was full of 30 cars by 8am. All parking for 35 vehicles on the side of the road filled by 820am Monday.

Did the Eagle Lake hike in 2.5 hours before coming here.

60 vehicle Vikingsholm parking lot filled by 1130am Monday. $72 citation for cars not displaying the $10 parking permit on their dashboard.

1 mile hike down the service road leading to the mansion. Beautiful views of Emerald Bay and Fanette island. First house I've encountered with a mile long driveway.

The only way for the public to enter the Vikingsholm is by tour. $15 for adults, $12 for seniors like me, under 7 free. Tours run 1030am to 4pm every half hour from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

June 14, 2021. Ticket purchasers must wear masks to enter the visitor center to buy tickets, and tour attendees must wear masks at all times.

The 2021 tour takes place outside in the central courtyard, instead of inside the building as in 2019 and before. Afterwards, attendees can reenter the building to take pictures of the banquet room, the living room, and the kitchen.

No visitor access to the library in the circular turret, nor to any of the upstairs bedrooms, unlike the 2019 tours.

30 minutes to hike back to the top of the hill to the parking lot. Saw people pushing strollers and baby carriages, and people in flip flops trudging up the steep gravel trail.

2pm, Back on the road, all parking spots taken, with cars like vultures looking for any opening.

Had to have the wife get out and direct traffic, when backing my car out of the perpendicular parking on the road, as backing out blind with an oversized van blocking my view.

One lucky guy took my spot, just happened to be driving in the opposite direction, and had the biggest smile on his face as if he won the lottery.

We visited Vikingsholm and parked in the Emerald Bay State Park Parking lot. We were lucky to find a spot. Plan ahead. All three of the outhouses in the parking lot were locked because they were full and weren't going to be serviced until the following week. It was a one-mile hike to the closest toilet facility. We took our own water on the hike with us and were glad that we did as no potable water was available at all. The last tour is offered at 4 PM. We bought tickets for the 4 PM tour. It did not start until 4:10 PM. The tour guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. This house is incredible and the woman who built it even more so. My husband and I are both 67. We did not mind the one-mile steep uphill hike back to our car because the tour was well worth the effort.

The tour was well worth the 1 mile walk down the mountain and the 1 mile back up the mountain! The guide was very informative & then you are allowed to tour the home on your own. The guide was around to answer any questions you had as you did the self-guided portion of the tour.

My sister and I hiked the 1 mile down to Vikingsholm even tho we knew it was closed for the season but it was well worth it. It's a little harder hiking back up but it only took us 5 minutes longer than walking down. The path/road is quite easy to walk altho can become steep. We had seen the house from the Dixie II (boat) we had taken the day before but it is even better when you can walk around the entire house and courtyard area. The HUGE trees are amazing as well. The view from the beach in front of the house is beautiful. You can also take a short walk over to the falls from the house which is a nice walk but due to several years of drought in California there was no water in the falls.

Be forewarned that it costs $10 ($9 for 55 and older) to park at the top and it doesn't hold very many cars. We were there during off season (October11, 2016) and it was still completely full so had to wait for an open spot.

The castle was interesting but you really couldn't see much as the rooms were all barricaded. The history was cool though. The highlight for me was the hike which was easy on a great trail but just beautiful. The beach by the castle was really beautiful too looking into the bay.

We first saw this castle from the MS DIxie II paddle wheel boat the day before. We decided to drive and park in the park. We were told the parking lot was about a 1.7 mile hike to the castle, and the next lot about a 1 mile hike but more vertical and challenging. We opted for the 1.7 mile hike, which on the way back up was still a bit challenging. Be prepared with hiking or athletic shoes and gear if you have it. I had deck or boat shoes, and my wife open toe sandals. No water, no gear, just found walking sticks for at least a placebo affect. Better suited if you take advantage of the hike, castle, and swim or rent kayaks near the visitor center along with taking a picnic lunch. We were told that the park service does offer shuttle service for handicapped persons, however, reservations must be made at least one day in advance and I presume based on availability. The park service personnel said to be prepared to give handicapped information, placard ID numbers, etc., when calling the park service for handicapped reservations.

Hotel suggested this place. Although still closed for the winter, sign said open Memorial Day. Snow still remained on the trail, iced over making for dangerous walking. If you climb the rock formation and look to the right you will see the waterfall and able to hear it also. Great for photos.

When you arrive at the lot, you might find it difficult to find a spot.
The majority of people just take a couple of selfies and go on their way.
If you do decide to stay for a while, make sure you pay the fee.
Fill out a small envelope, put the $10 fee in the envelope, tear the ticket off, deposit the envelope and then place your ticket on your dash

Walk down, take your time enjoy the views.
The from the outside castle itself is ok, it was actually closed, probably wouldn't have been too interested in going in.

There is a small beach there which is very nice. Which made the hike worthwhile.

The hike down was a little easier than the hike up.

Wear sturdy shoes to support your feet as you walk the trail.
I would not suggest using flipflops.

I can see why this was built here, with an absolutely stunning view back to the mountains behind, and a lovely outlook over the lake. The house is fun, you don't get a hugely extensive tour but it's worth the time to look around. I'd give it 5 stars if we could see more of the house, it's a little disappointing to miss out on the view from the top rooms.

Very nice but somewhat difficult hike to do. Worth it to see such a cool structure. I recommend doing this in addition to another activity while you are in Lake tahoe!

I didn’t think the hike down to see the castle was worth it. It was super steep and the climb back up was challenging. Couldn’t go inside the castle so I wasn’t that impressed.

Vikingsholm, of course, was never visited by vikings. But inspired by the lake and trees the home is modeled on ancient homes in Scandanavia. No question it is a beautiful place to visit. But it is costly (a little cash and lot of effort) The parking lot at the top of the path down the hill charges 10 bucks but there are many places to park just outside the parking lot that are free. The big price is the walk approximately 1 mile down the steep gravel road followed by...the walk back up. If you are in reasonable condition it is definitely doable and worth it. Wear good shoes.

The site was closed due to covid but the park still charged full rate rate for parking. There is a nice trail along the beach.

This place is very popular and therefore very crowded. We almost gave up after spending about an hour looking for a place to park. The parking lot closest to the site cost $10 for the day and $3 for an hour. We ended up being lucky enough to park there but other options include mostly the side of the road which was a tad scary and another small parking area near by. The big rock that greets you when you arrive is an awesome way to see the lake. Online it said that the hike was a mile down. It felt like more but at 7 months pregnant with a 4 year old it could've been just me lol. Going down was pretty easy. Seeing the waterfall and watching the view of the lake change as you get closer is amazing. Once we got to the house we paid about $10 per adult and were given a tour time. I guess 2:30 is late in the day because our group was pretty small but the group before us was huge. The history of the house itself was really interesting. The majority of the rooms are roped off for preservation purposes so you can only look in from the doorways. Our tour guide also informed us that there was no flash photography allowed. The tour is only 30 minutes long and you must leave to make room for the next. Then there's the daunting task of hiking back up the mountain. It was definitely hard for me and probably took longer than others but I made it. My son was so exhausted that he immediately fell asleep in the car. The entire staff was great and the snacks aren't over priced which is nice since you only have one option once you're down there.

we visited vikingsholm and enjoyed the hike down. the hike uphill was not as enjoyable. the home is very interesting but the story of the original owner was what made it worthwhile. make certain you have time to hike up to the loser falls area.

I loved this amazing scandanavian castle. IT was amazing to learn the history of it and all of it's wealthy owners over time. I would definitely recommenrd seeing it!

We arrived in the parking lot on a busy Sunday. The lot was full so we ended up
Parking .08 miles up the road. The walk down was not bad. Glad we carried water. Ice cream treat at the gift shop was reasonable. The tour cost $10 which is reasonable. The tour is good and you get to see how the wealthy lived in the early 1900's. After the tour we enjoyed the beach and great view of Emerald cove. The hike up and out in the afternoon heat and sun is doable but I was tired after the extra walk to the car. Good place to take a hike. Bring water and a suit if you want to cool off in the lake.

Go see the sights. Parking is a little tight do go early. Take pictures of it all. Very social gathering place. Lots of people. Enjoy. It’s a great place to see.

Nice place to visit even if you don’t get to see the inside of building. Lots of birds and animals around. The view of the lake is amazing. Skipping rocks on the water with my kids was fun. Be aware that if you’re not a physically active person it may take you awhile to get down there and up from there. I happened to be wearing a medical boot when we went for the first time. It took me about 1 hours to get down and about the same to get back up the trail. There are shady spots to stop and sit, benches, boulders etc. there are restrooms at the bottom. Overall we had a really nice time. Expect to be there about 2-3 hours minimum, just from a walking standpoint. Parking is hideous so arrive early if at all possible. Sunrises are beautiful from here as well.

Located in Emerald Bay, the real draw for this attraction is the beauty of the bay. There is a mile long hike down to the Vikingsholm, very steep. Easy to get down, but difficult to come back up. There are a few places to stop and rest if needed. The tour of the house was interesting, but very short, not necessarily worth the $10 entry fee.

Beautiful views of emerald bay. We should have brought swim suits to get in the water. Lots use this area to swim. You can also rent kayaks and kayak out to the only island in Lake Tahoe. We did not pay or go on the indoor tour of the actual house. Walk behind the visitor center and you get very close views of eagle falls.

Parking is insane.

I’m so glad we took the tour to hear all the history surrounding the bay. The philanthropy runs strong today and I’m so grateful for this treasure. Exceptional thought went into the castle including not disturbing any trees during construction.

The hike down to Vikingsholm is not bad at all - take your time coming up! It is beautiful, clean, well preserved and amazing. The water is gorgeous and so clean. Picnic tables are scattered around, and it is a fun area to explore as well as the gift shop is small but filled with fun trinkets. The parking sucks, though! It was worth the effort to be away from the extra thick crowds.

The hike down to this historic home was as beautiful as the home itself & the stunning Emerald bay. We thoroughly enjoyed our day there. Bring some water & a good pair of hiking shoes & be sure to take time to experience the tour. When you are finished you can picnic on the shore before hiking back up the side of the mountains

We were worried because of the reviews of steep trails but managed to go with our stroller. Took short breaks going up, wasn't too bad. Once we got to vikingsholm, we didn't feel like paying and going in. I honestly thought it would be free just to look but they have people waiting outside until the next tour. We enjoyed the beach and tried to avoid the bees?yellowjackets?wasps? By going on the deck for a quick snack. Few did come to the deck but not as much as the picnic tables.

The house / castle is amazing, it worth the 1 mile down hill. But the view of the lake, at the sunset 5pm woooooowwwww. Not even Bob Ross can’t make that art piece. I’ll remember that landscape for ever

State park service guides give tours of the Bkingsholm. A great family experience! Also visit the visitor center for a video, more photos, and souvenirs!

Didn't get to do the tour inside but it was still fun walking around it outside and in the courtyard. Beautiful scenery around. Its a bit of a hike trying to get down there and back up, but worth it.

We met the escort at Bliss State Park Visitor Center. He is a volunteer with the California State Park system. We were escorted to the Vikingshelm extrance where the volunteer opened the gate to let us through. We walked through the Castle for another fee of ten dollars for the tour.

One of the most beautiful places to see in the West. It's a must see during a Tahoe visit. It was very busy this time of year, though. We arrived at about 11:30 AM on our first attempt and there was no parking at the site, or anywhere near it.
We arrived between 8:30 - 9:00 AM on the second attempt the following day and there was plenty of parking. The museum/gift shop opens at 10:00, and by the time we hiked down and took in the scenery for a little bit, it was open. The first tour of the castle started at 10:30, so that worked out great.
When we were done and ready to leave for the day, there was nearly a fistfight between two people waiting for our parking spot! Arrive early!

We hiked a mile down to see kayak and see the castle. It was well worth it. We did pay $10 each to tour the castle. It was money well spent. The lady that gave the tour was a wealth of knowledge. It's an enjoyable day visit.

The drive around Lake Tahoe is beautiful and places like this just make it nicer. You need to go early on a weekend or parking may be tough. The hike down the trail is fairly easy along with getting to the Vikingsholm place as well. The hike back up is arduous and we took it a little at a time. You can always stop and rest or take photos as the view is beautiful and the trail is nice and wide. The home is very interesting along with the story behind it. Try to visit this place if you can. I don’t think you will regret it.

This is a lovely historic home on Emerald Bay. If you get the chance to come make sure to take the tour and hear the story of when and how it was built and see the home which still has approximately 80% of the original furniture.

I wish the tour had been open so we could've seen inside. The walking trail down to it took a bit but was beautiful! A little more of a workout going back up. Worth the trip though to see this place and it's setting. Can definitely see how Lora Knight chose this place for her summer home. Beautiful setting! Nice features and architecture!

What an amazing place in an absolutely stunning location with some fantastic history to go with it.
Read about it, kayaked infront of it and walk around the outside and would loved to have gone in but missed the times.

Worth hiking down to as it is very cool. It is a self-guided tour, but still worth the hike. Would highly recommend the Kayak out to the small island, so beautiful!!! It is very picturesque. The hike back up was a tad difficult. If anyone has ambulatory issues, would not recommend.

Beautiful once you arrive. Even the walk is nice. It’s a trek though. I believe I was told it’s about a mile and it’s all downhill to get there. Once there however the views a beautiful. The old mansion/ castle is a true sight to see. The view from the waters edge in Emerald Bay is breath taking. You can see the tea house on the island in the bay from there as well. I’ve your done with the pictures and the sights however get ready for the mile long ALL uphill walk back to the truck. Is not that bad but it is all uphill. From one local to a tourist though PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, park all the way off the road. That means either in on of the few parking lots or completely off the edge of the road, not sticking out into the road over the white line. This is very unsafe and extremely frustrating to those of us who travel this road daily for work. And the California Highway Patrol frequently hands out lots of tickets there.

Touring Vikingsholm is well worth the mile (each way, elevation change approximately 500 feet) hike. The building and its furnishings are very well preserved. Docents were friendly, provided great history and perspective and were able to answer all questions.

The tour of the home was kinda cool. The hike down and back was not bad. It was a wide, gravel trail.

We walked down into the beach area. We did not pay to go into the exibit. It looked very dull. It was beautiful. It is a very long walk down and a longer walk back up. I do not reccomend taking kids down there. If you have kids, skip it. Adults, worth the view. Beach is beautiful, and water is freaking cold. Lasted 2 minuets in the water. All of the pictures I posted are of the beach and view.

If you drive to the Vikingsholm parking lot, there is a $10 fee. There is also a pretty strenous hike back to the parking lot. I am in my 50s, and not in the best shape, but I made it:), and I was glad I checked out the property.

Great hike down about a mile. Hike up is tough. Take lots of water. Tour of house is really interesting and worth the $10. Get there a little early. Tours begin at 10:30 am but you have to buy your ticket a half hour early to be there on time. Tickets at the bottom of the hike in a small place to the right of the house.

I'm not much for touristy destinations, but this was well worth it. We actually did not do the tour of the home (as I said I'm not much into that) but the outside was beautiful and you can take a really short hike to Eagle Falls when you get to the bottom. We visited the gift shop and had a little picnic on the small beach at Emerald Bay. It didn't get too crowded which was nice. I think people fear the trek down to site which is actually an easy 20 minute walk down, but remember you have to come back up. Most of the walk is packed gravel with beautiful views. Everything about this attraction is gorgeous.

We drove around the lake to visit this place. The parking lots were full (on a Tuesday morning), as well as the roadside parking. We finally found a place and walked back to the main parking lot and then the one mile downhill on a dirt road to the home. At the ticket counter (just after 12:30), we were told that 60 people had just booked the 1 and 1:30 tours, so 2 was the next time available (which we turned down). We did walk around the home to get photos. While there is a drinking fountain, many in our party did not find it. There are nice views of the lake (Emerald Bay) here. Then the mile walk back uphill and farther on to the parked car.

Me and my husband really loved this place and our kids liked it too. At first we were worried about hiking because of kids, but it was totally worth it. It's really unique place with amazing view.

We didn’t get to go inside, but the outside was pretty neat to look at. Easy hike down on one mile dirt rode. Going up was a little harder. You don’t need hiking shoes, just don’t wear sandals

Went around 12:00, parking is full so had to park on the highway and the walk to the parking lot is ok as the view is wonderful. Trail starts from the parking lot ,easy walk down. The tour is $8 for adult , we choose not to go. There is much beach space in front of the castle but can manage to take a dip. Most of the beach is occupied by boats . From there , we went to the Lower Eagle falls - not much far but got some steepy steps and it's awesome. There is also a kayak and paddle rental space,comes handy. The hike back up is little tiresome, but overall a day well spent. Take food as there are no restaurants down there. Go early or go late to get the parking space in the lot . With so much snow this year , we can hear and see waterfalls everywhere.

The site is interesting, parking is tough, not many spaces, and you need reservations .... great views on way to and from.

I recommend visit this place and is in a excellent location for taking pictures ppl are friendly you’ll love it

We walked down and took the tour of the Vikingsholm and also did one of the trails. It was very reasonable and I wish we would have had the added time to rent kayaks and paddle out to the island. the date is wrong, our visit was Sept 2015

It was closed to tours for the season. Most are only open from Memorial Day to Sept 30. We did not know it was closed until we took the mile walk down. It’s a steep mile back up. There are warnings regarding the trail on the trail head. Had no problems parking. Some great look out areas around the parking lots. After hiking down it was still beautiful to see & to sit by the beach & just enjoy the beautiful weather we had. We did continue on after and go to Eagles Falls. Then back tracked & hike back up. To say the combination is a work out is an understatement, but if a 59 & 68 yr old can tackle the steepness & ALL the steps up to Eagles Falls you can too!! Just allow sometime & take breaks as needed. Also being some water. The sun was so bright the Falls photos did not come out very well. Water was also low at this time of the year. Those photos will be posted under that site link.

Emerald Bay is AMAZING! Would like to have had a trolley to get back up the mile walk! Don't go it you can't walk a mile hill back up.

Third times the charm. Finally arrived by 10:15 and the parking lot was full, but nabbed street parking close to the lot. Very nice hike down to the mansion and Eagle Falls on a well-groomed trail. Easy, mile long walk down, but a bit of a killer back up, as the elevation gain is around 500 feet in a mile. One-half hour tours are available of the originally furnished building and grounds constructed in the Norwegian tradition. Check the website for tour times and dates. Beautiful location, but lots of people!

We walked downhill for 20 minutes to the Viking House in Emerald Bay. The building is unusual and interesting. Not allowed to touch anything and visitors kept behind barriers. Guide did not show us around the whole building - disappointing. The walk back up to the main highway was difficult and not suited to older people.

Beautiful Hike down to this historic site and beautiful beach at Emerald Bay's stunning clear blue waters!

It was very interesting about the home owner and how much she had and what she did for others. There are 38 rooms total in the house. I would love to tell more but I don’t want to give anything away.

The beach is gorgeous. We recently came here with the kids and they did not want to leave. Their is limited parking at the trail head and the hike down the hill is 1 mile; so you should be prepared, but it is worth it.

We lucked out by arriving early (about 10 a.m.) and could find parking at the top of the hill. Lovely walk down to the lake shore and the Vikingsholm. Our tour guide in the home was very informative and fielded our questions with facts. The home is incredible with mostly original furnishings and artisan details. The walk up to the parking lot is not to be forgotten but doable and fun.

Stopped at Emerald bay 2nd time, went on Vikingsholm trail down to the Emerald bay beach at sunset, it was so peaceful and beautiful there. Then the Vikingsholm appeared in the scene, the castle is unique and charming with its Scandinavia wood works.

Visit to Emerald Bay should include Vikingsholm. Interesting architecture, small beach, and a little island where lady of the house had a high tea. Take public transportation is fun riding a trolley from Y station.

Vikingsholm is well worth a visit, and is great for the whole family -- if everyone is able to walk a steep path roundtrip. The setting is beautiful, and the tour is interesting and well worth while. We suggest you book in advance, and schedule this in the earliest part of the day.

The only thing that was not super cool was the parking situation. It was not very clear where the trail head actually was, but we ended up parking on the main hwy and found the trail head at the parking lot for the look out. The walk down the trail is about a mile, but manageable. The views of the bay and the nature are breathtaking. The water is so clear, the beach is nice, clean bathrooms and the buildings are very interesting. Paddle boarding and kayaking was easy to access and registering was quick.

While the house was not open for tours, the walk down and back was worth the trip.
Incredible to see the hand crafted building in this AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL bay!

Not easy to get to, but worth the windy scenic roads to the parking lot from South Lake Tahoe, and the steep mile-long trek down to the beach and back up again. Not sure those who didn't take the 30 minute tour would agree, but maybe the vistas along the trail and the view of Emerald Bay were enough reward.
There was very little to enjoy on the exterior of the castle except the bay view and Fannette Island. We were in time for the final tour of the day (3:30pm) which began with the history of the property and the building of the castle in 1928 by Laura Knight who loved European medieval architecture and Scandinavian topography. She commissioned the castle's design with a view of the bay from every room and using wood from area lumber. The bay was reminiscent of the fiords she enjoyed visiting on her travels. The interior was decorated with both Swedish replicas and original pieces, large carved dragons hanging at either end of the main living area, a Swedish wall hanging, a beautiful grand piano, and Selma, the life-sized maid whose head was a clock.
The castle was situated as the anchor of an enclosed ringed courtyard connected to the the two-story main gate on both sides by one-story service quarters for cooks, maids, chauffeurs, landscapers etc. Knight used the castle as a summer home for 15 years. A subsequent owner donated it to the state park system. Lovely historic site.

Although it is a hike down to Emerald Bay and a worse one back up, the house is worth a visit. It was built in the Scandinavian style and very different from other historic homes of rich people. The docent gave just enough information and then let us tour on our own. REALLY enjoyed it.

I am reluctant to provide a rating, as I was unable to see the castle. We arrived but found that there is no way an individual with difficulties walking could get to the castle. This review is for information purposes.

Vikingshold was built in 1929 based on Scandinavian architecture. Including: Scandinavian peasant quarters, Viking religious structure and a gentile Scandinavian home.
Located on the west shore of beautiful Emerald Bay the visit requires a one mile each way hike down hill then up hill for your return journey. Kayaks and SUPs are available for rent.

Vikingsholm is very busy with many tourist going. Go during the week to avoid some of the crowds. Some tourist will underestimate the walk down to the castle.

it's like a small museum with custom Scandinavian architecture and handcrafted woodwork. Loved the grass thatched roof over both sides of the courtyard and so many intricate details on furniture, fireplace, stain glass windows, wood ceiling beams, etc.

Tour begins at 10:30am and runs every half an hour and need to buy fee at the visitor center nearby. &10 adult and $8 student fee goes toward maintenance of the property by the CA National Parks Service so well worth it. It's located right on the Emerald Bay so we got ourselves a picnic table by the water and enjoyed the bay view which was amazing.

We got there around 9am on Tuesday morning but the parking lot of filling up really fast. Upon leaving we saw a long line of cars parked along the road but it's dangerous to walk to the parking lot with so many cars driving by.

You need to park at the overlook at the top and pay $10 parking fee self service (unmanned). The hiking trail leading down to this little castle starts on the left side of the overlook area made up of huge boulders.

Trail was flat and very easy to walk down, maybe about 40 min long but about half of the trail is not shaded so don't forget your sunblock. Returning is all uphill so we were glad we got more water bottles and snacks from the visitor center.

The restrooms are conveniently close to the emerald bay beach area and you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boats there. Lines are long and even after putting your name down, they were not available I guess because people end up riding the rentals longer than 1-2 hours they rented for.

Even the vistas around the parking lot are stunning! Don't miss the chance to poke around the side of the roadway and take in the beauty of Emerald Bay before descending the Vikingsholm trail. It's a steep grade down (and back up!!) but the trail is clear and well marked. You can access lower eagle falls from this path too. Vikingsholm itself is very cool, with its grassy rooftops and interesting history. Mostly an easy, some moderate hiking, with gorgeous Emerald Bay views!

While walking along the trail, there was a nice home near the lake. It overlooks the lake and there are nice benches and a beach where you can sit and see the birds. The trail was a pleasant walk, not too bad for hiking and is suitable for all ages. One may need to check on their health because going down is easy, but going up the trail may take time. The tall trees were very nice; loved seeing the different species of birds around the area.

Vikingsholm was not open for tours at this time unfortunately but it was a beautiful house. Reminds me of the houses I see in children’s storybooks.

This is an outstanding Scandinavian architecture from 1928 and the history of the owners is interesting. The grandchildren enjoyed counting the dragons in the castle.

Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm were a highlight of our visit to Lake Tahoe. The guide at Vikingsholm was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about her duty to tell the history of the property. She was kind to our kids ages 12 and 10 as they explored the house and counted the dragons within the decor. The hike to and from Vikingsholm isn’t too bad. Beautiful little spot.

Being rather out of shape, instead of taking the "steep" hike down from the highway parking area to the castle (if you could find a parking spot), we took the boat tour out of Camp Richardson to get there. It was a beautiful home and the docents provided an excellent tour and history of the property, architecture, and furnishings. You even get a little free time to explore the parts you are most interested in. From the castle, the visitor center has an archival video and photographs that were very informative. The lower Eagle Falls are a very short and easy hike from the castle and were a bonus feature we hadn't been aware of beforehand. The only detriment was that for the public, there are only pit toilets available onsite. Some women had issues with that, so be prepared if that is important to you.

We highly recommend taking a tour of this house. It was a great history lesson and the architecture was amazing. Most of the original furniture was still inside the house. The tea house on the island is a focal point of Emerald bay. The park surrounding the house was far busier than we expected because people also arrived by boat. We recommend that you come early to find parking along the road side because the parking lot fills up very quickly. We ended up walking longer than the two recommended paths because we took a service road further down the highway because we were able to find a parking spot. Water and snacks are available near the house.

Closed when we hiked here, so we could only see the outside. Carved doors, thatched roof. The walking path to the Boat Camp (and beyond!) are worth your time. Quiet forest, beautiful lake views.

My husband and I visited CA from CT last month and one of our favorite adventures from visiting Lake Tahoe was hiking down to see/tour the beautiful Vikingsholm!! Amazing!! The hike down/up from the parking lot is not the easiest - about a mile round trip and the incline is fairly steep. If you have any health issues, I would seriously consider this before you go. Once there though, the house and surroundings are gorgeous!! The view of Emerald Bay from Vikingsholm (and from the hike on the way down) are like no other!! We enjoyed the guided tour of the home very much - very interesting! You are even allowed to wander the house on your own at the end of the tour. Highly recommend!!!

We loved Vikingsholm mansion. Since it was winter we were only able to walk the grounds. There is a small parking lot. Pay 5 bucks for all day. The view from the top was incredible. The walk down to mansion was steep at times. They do have benches to take breaks. Waterfalls throughout the walkway. Lake is beautiful. There's a boat ramp you can use too. House is boarded up for winter but the walk was totally worth the walk. So much history. Looks right out of a fairy tale. They have bathrooms located near the house. The walk back up is a bit difficult so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. I totally recommend visiting the mansion. Can't wait to return in the summer to see the inside of the house and learn more about it.

We managed a tour of this unusual property on the last day of operation at the end of September. It is located on the shore of Lake Tahoe, at the bottom of a fairly steep pathway about one mile from the parking area at the top. It is walkable but wear decent footwear and take your time coming back up. Remember you are over 6000 feet above sea level! The house was built as a private summer retreat in the 1920's in a Scandinavian style and there is plenty to see on the relaxed tour. You'd really need to go there to appreciate the detail of construction and furnishing. It is located about 10 miles west of South Lake Tahoe on Emerald Bay. The whole area is very picturesque with excellent views of the lake and mountains. It costs $10 per person and there is a $10 parking fee at the upper car park but it is well worth it. Take a picnic!

We really enjoyed touring Vikingsholm. We had seen it from the lake and had read about it. The tour guide was interesting and informative. It was interesting to learn more about the fascinating history of the design, construction, and use of this structure. It's definitely worth doing. As long as you've hiked a mile to get to Emerald Bay, might as well do the tour while you're there.

The fee to tour the castle is pretty steep but since I like history, and I am of Scandinavian descent, I really wanted to see it! The home is amazing! I wouldn't pay to see it twice but I'm so glad we did go through it. The 1 mile trek down is rather steep - and what goes down, must come up. My mantra on the way up was "slow and steady wins the race." And we were fine. :) The views are so worth it! I did see a few families with strollers trekking it up that hill. It was very challenging for them.

Down at the bay, we rented kayaks and got to go to Fannette Island and climb up to the little tea house there. AMAZING! We were so lucky to do it when we did because the Kayak company shut down everything right after because of the wind. If you go there, you HAVE to go to that tiny beautiful island! :)

This place is awesome. We saw the castle 15 years ago when we were on the Ms Dixie dinner cruise. We vowed when we came back this would be a must see. We were right. The hike is easy. A mile in and a mile out. We recommend arriving early as parking is limited. We had a great time hiking around the grounds seeing the water fall until it was time to take the tour of the castle.

Let me start off by saying the trail/hike and the house were beautiful and enjoyable (5 stars) - the parking was an absolute NIGHTMARE (negative stars - yes, it was that bad).

We arrived at the parking lot for Vikingsholm around 12 noon and I understand that the parking was extremely limited - I'm talking about 40 spots total. We patiently waited for a spot to open up and were about to park when some @sshat decided to swoop in (almost hitting me and the parked car next to me) and take the spot. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was taking it. I feared he would drive over my car to get that spot, so I let him have it. Some people are just so rude! Another 5 minutes and someone returned and let me have their spot. It is $10 to park which is not bad, however it appeared that people were parking there to use the beach instead of the short trip to see Vikingsholm and return, which meant most spots were taken for hours. You only really need about an hour and a half to hike down, do the tour, and hike back. There is no "street" parking as it is the major through-way and are signs to not park - although several did and were almost sideswiped. Once you get over the anxiety to park, the rest of the trip is lovely.

The walk down is a dirt/gravel road/trail that you walk down. It is very steep (might make your knees hurt going down) but has a view of Emerald Bay and the house. Once you get there, try to follow the signs for the little kiosk to buy your tickets. You must walk past the house and then to the right (when you face the beach, take the trail to the right to the small building). The tours were offered every 30 minutes, and we arrive about 10 minutes before the next one. So we bought our tickets ($10 each) and walked over to the house.

Once the tour starts, there is a short introduction to the house, why it was built, and the history. Then you go inside and look at the room - you cannot walk "into" a lot of the rooms as they are original and are just view-able. Then you will go to the courtyard where the guide will explain the different rooms and after that you are free to roam around and see the different rooms and take pictures. Once you are done, you leave out the back.

You are allowed to take non-flash photography (I took a LOT of photos and was able to wander away from the crowded areas and get photos without people in them. I wandered back to the "start" area and they were fine with me taking photos just as another tour started - really flexible :)

The hike back up is slightly strenuous because of how steep the trail is, but the path is wide enough to just stop in the shade and look at the mini waterfall/stream before continuing. Bring a water bottle especially during the summer, you will want it.

Overall, this was a great afternoon adventure and awesome piece of history. I would recommend not coming during the busy summer months - try to come in May or September right before or after they close. We tried to come in May but there was still snow and it was icy and not recommended due to the steep hike to get there.

Must hike to the place and see the beach there. Great hike and all the trails there are just right for a adventure.

My husband and I recently paid $10.00 each to tour Vikingsholm. Nancy Arnold was a terrific tour guide. We felt it was worth the fee to see this beautiful home which was built by Lorna Knight in 1929. She was a single woman in her 60's at the time and built the 5,000 square foot house as her summer home on the shore of Lake Tahoe. 90% of the furnishings, including her dishes, are still in the house. The building itself is a work of art, modeled after a Scandinavian castle. Some of the attached buildings have grass roofs, complete with a watering system on each. Take the time to step back into history and enjoy this beautiful, old home.

Great hike down the cliff and through the woods. Unfortunately the museum closes end of September so we could not visit inside. But worth the effort despite that.

Although visitor centre closed, superb setting in what must be the most beautiful spot Emerald Bay, in Lake Tahoe. Worth the long walk down to see the castle exterior and Eagle Falls. Nice spot for a picnic or just watching the paddle steamer tour sail by the beach and Fannette Island. At least 30 min walk back up very steep twisting incline, but stop places to get your breath back and enjoy wonderful panoramic views over the bay.

Too late to tour Vikingsholm. But still an awesome hike from the highway to Lake Tahoe. The blue color of the lake is spectacular. Carry water and snacks.

We rode the MS Dixie II out through Emerald Bay at Zephyr Cove & would’ve never been able to see this if we hadn’t. Only open during Spring/Summer months

How fortunate this was able to be preserved for people to experience a unique American period and lifestyle. The rangers were knowledgeable and visitors were encouraged to ask questions. The workmanship left us in awe.

It was well worth the $10 to take the tour.
It’s so fun to learn more about the house and the woman who built it.

One tip I would give is to go see the house and rooms first during the “free time” of the tour.
We made the mistake of looking through the courtyard first. When we went to see the rooms, we were soon rushed out of the house so the next tour could start.
Take your time in the House first. You can spend a lot of time in the courtyard while the next tour is going on.

Take lots of pictures and ask the tour guide all your questions.

My 3rd time here in 15 years. Good exercise not for faint of heart. Plan on 2-4 hours or more for full day

The hike down was great! The home was not open due to Covid, but we still walked around the grounds surrounding the home and got beautiful pictures. Walked the trail to Lower Eagle Falls. Beautiful! We arrived early (7:00am) to get a place to park($10) and felt like we had the place all to ourselves. We enjoyed the quiet, the trees, the trails, and the beach before trekking up the treacherous hill. It is a killer but worth it. Save some energy going back up. There are "benches" along the way to rest.

House tours are not really my cup of tea. This was more fun hiking to and from. While you are there, kayak out to the tea house on the island.

We loved this guided tour. Fun and informative. It was only $10 per adult. The last 10 minutes of the tour you are able to explore on your own. Anyone would enjoy this activity.

The Vikingholm House was wonderful. We hiked down to the house and loved the grass growing on the roof. It was true to viking architecture. The logs were enchanting. The furniture was true to the time period. The tour guide was very well informed and so nice. The visit left us feeling like we were very welcome guests in the home of a terrific lady.

The home can only be visited via a tour. Tickets for the tour can be purchased at the Visitor Center. During the first part of the tour, the guide talks about the history of the home and the lady who built it. Visitors are then given about 10 minutes to walk around inside and look in the rooms. The tour then moves to the courtyard area to hear more of the history and then again, some time to look in additional rooms. The tour provides an interesting look at the past.

There is a $10 fee to park in Vikingsholm lot and not many spots. There is also Parkin on the road a very sort distance away that is free( maybe 15-20 spots) as a $5 fee parking next to that with maybe another 15-20 spots. We were early 830am) and got a $5 spot. There were signs all along the road to NOT park on the road however, The sides of the road were full of cars and several got tickets-not sure the cost of the parking ticket! Just beware. Now, the hike was great. Beautiful views of Emerald Bay. We stopped at the top of Eagle Falls and really enjoyed that first. Then after the hike down we rented a kayak and paddled around the gorgeous bay for $35 for a double kayak for 1 hr. When finished, there were lines waiting for a kayak-another reason to arrive early. We skipped the tour of Vikingsholm and wandered around the property and then walked up to lower Eagle Falls-a definite must. Really big waterfall and worth the hike. It isn’t an easy hike overall because it is hard going back up. Take sunscreen, picnic lunch, and plenty to drink. A well spent morning-allow 4-6 hrs depending on how much you hike, if you kayak or do the tour. You can also hike to Eagle Lake afterward-just across the road.

Parking at the top means that you have to wend your way down to Viking's home, and then sent back up nearly a mile. So if you're not a confident Walker, it's properly going to be a struggle.

You can get an ice cream at the gift shop, but not much else. The best part is the bottom of Eagle Falls which is quite spectacular and of course the view across Emerald Bay

If you're looking for a short hike with amazing views, park along the main road and walk one mile down to Vikingsholm. Bring a picnic and enjoy the spectacular waterfront ambiance of Emerald Bay and the Vikingsholm residence.

Vikingsholm is a must see "mansion" on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Even when the inside is closed, the outside of Vikingsholm is a site to see. Plus the view of the island from Emerald Bay is breathtaking. Wear layers as the temperature can change dramatically from the parking area down to the shoreline. Bring water and cash/credit card to pay for parking (though there are a few free spaces for those who will be there for only a few minutes). There is a functioning bathroom near the shore. Even in the Fall, there were lots of visitors, though, the visitors dissipate if you can add in a walk to Lower Eagle Falls and.or (parts of) the Rubicon Trail. There were several wedding parties taking photos near the parking area. Just a beautiful site!

When they say the walk down and back up is not for the weak....THEY MEAN IT. I have some arthritis and with the altitude...I had a very difficult time getting back up the hill. I had to stop at least 20 times...and it is only a mile...however the elevation change is 400 feet difference and it is straight up.
The home is beautiful and the tour is worth the small charge. Almost all original and very interesting information on regarding the owners. The lake view is stunning!
The beach was under water, so we weren't able to enjoy it to much however the rent kayaks and paddle boards for a reasonable sum which made up for the lack of beach time.
THERE IS NO WATER OR FOOD FOR SALE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HIKE ...you can buy water at the guard gate.
PARKING STINKS!! Get there the night before...lol...but really my husband parked a mile away on the road. When we left, the sheriff was ticketing and towing vehicles that were not in acceptable spots.

I walked down to Vikingsholm to see Emerald Bay. Absolutely beautiful and you are kind of isolated from all the tourists. If you like another east hike I recommend Eagle Creek trail across the street too

This is a lovely hike through a wooded area to end up at a lakefront home. Bring a lunch and sit lakeside to enjoy it.

A little spends for a family on a budget, seems like they could adjust down the price a little bit to make it more accessible to more folks.

The weather was a bit sketchy so there were not loads of people there. The parking lot is kinda small but we found a spot. Parking costs $10 and you pay at the little booth.
The view from the top is tremendous and we'll worth taking a few extra minutes or more just to absorb. There is a sign at the top that says 1 mile to the castle.
Walking down the trail is moderately steep in a few places, but not so steep in others. Views are continously beautiful the entire way down. Most of the trail is dirt and it was wet in a few spots. Towards the bottom there were a few forks in the trail that were unmarked but nothing too confusing. I saw a bathroom facility at the bottom, but none at the top. Also I didn't see any water fountains so bring water!
The castle was closed but we did get to examine the exterior and look in a few windows.
We had a picnic on the sand beach and truly enjoyed a private beach all to ourselves. This was May during a very cold snap so probably not like this in the summer.
The hike up is not too bad unless you are not a physical person. Be advised.
A wonderful spot!

It was a wonderful morning warm up with a walk down to the historic site and a heart pumping walk back up. Total 2 mile walk-hike.
Beautiful!

Beautiful vistas and amazing structure. Not open in the off season but was worth the hike, even for a couple of flatlanders!

Went on by suggestion of someone at our hotel. Very pleased with drive through Tahoe. The view from the top magnificent. The hike down was steep. At bottom was a beautiful beach with kayaking available. I suggest you rent kayak and go to the only little island on the lake and visit the tea house on top. Picnic tables are available in the beach. Taking z picnic and spending a good part of day there would be nice. The hike up is a little challenging as it is pretty steep but definitely worth the trip

Site said open. It was not. Closed. Bars across entrance, website said it was open but no way to access via the closed road.

Wanna a perfect way to spend a morning.....drive over here early, parking fills quickly! The walk is 1 mile straight down. Once down we hiked over to the lower Eagle Falls, spray off the falls was magical. We were able to get tickets at 10:00, tours began at 10:30. Tour was 30 minutes, it was quick but informative, wish the tour could have lasted longer as there is so much history in a beautiful place like Vikingsholm. The tour ended and the walk up began it went much faster than anticipated! Loved every minute in the beautiful area!

The tour is worth while. The history is very interesting and it is fortunate that this home has been preserved and is open to the public.

Absolutely a must see! Loved seeing the history and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Beautiful, interesting tour! The walk down to the mansion was marked with several small waterfalls. The tour guide did a wonderful job pointing out the history and details of the home. Highly recommend!

Delightful step back in time to see this magnificent complex
The setting of Emerald Bay is sensational
There is not a lot of parking available at the top where you leave vehicle and then walk down to see Vikingsholm, but totally worth it
Beach is also wonderful to visit while there
Great family outing

This is a spectacular home built in the 20's with local materials and a Scandinavian flair. The hike is is easy about 1 mike on a forest road. The home sits right on Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay.

There is admission for a tour but you can walk around outside for free. This is a very historic beautiful mansion. Worth the short walk and the tour.

This is a treat to another time in history. The trail is an easy one mile walk down to the bay and castle. It is a step back into a wonderful time in Lake tahoe history.

Took the hike from the parking lot near the freeway, which was $10 and very limited space. Hiked down to the water front, and although the castle was closed to tours, as the season opens at the end of May, we had a nice picnic on the shore of the lake, which had a few picnic tables/benches, then hiked to the waterfall which was really flowing and was a beautiful sight/photo opportunity. Hike is about a mile each way. Was pretty easy even with my 3 year old, although she had to be carried on the hike back up to the parking lot. Beautiful views, just remember hiking down that you'll have to go back up the trail. There are a few areas to stop and rest for a few minutes.

The hike was beautiful in its self you go down to lake level and you see so much beauty but the hike back out isn't for the weak of heart.... But it was well worth it To learn of the history of Lake Tahoe was amazing. I never would of known if I didn't take this hike. ..

We were able to arrive by private ski boat and access was OK, but car parking is very limited and the trail is steep and a mile long to get to the house. Nice tour. Handicap access requires days advance reservations.

I am a local so I have visited almost every month of the year.
I LOVE this place. It has so much history and the tour is well worth the inexpensive price. The docents are all excellent. It is a bit of an effort to get there. You will either need to hike down (easy) but then you will have to hike a paved road back up (Moderately tough). Anyone without disabilities can do it but you will do a lot of huffing and puffing. I think it is still worth it. The other way is by boat and a must to take the tour. Book in advance as it will sell out.

A beautiful and unique example of scandinavian architecture in a spectacular beautiful setting. Great hiking trails nearby. Well worth the hike down from the parking lot.

Headline. Mic drop. Seriously. The view, especially during winter with the snow is priceless. Worth the drive.

Very cool if you're up for learning a little regional history, and some of the unique things quirky people of wealth sometimes do!

The tour was interesting (only done with a Docent; not open for general public torquing), and only small children find it totally boring.

The tour begins at Incline and takes you down the East side of the lake.
It is narrated which makes it a very informative bus ride. The property combined
With the history makes this tour a must see.
Reservations are a must.

You may want to start earlier rather than later in the morning for the best parking opportunity to visit this site. The steep mile long hike downhill to view this site is not bad but all the time one is thinking I have to climb back up at the end of my visit. On a weekend in June it was easy to get tickets for a house tour lasting about 45 minutes. One can view a You Tube video of the tour which was almost the exact same speech that we heard in person. It was a step back into a few decades ago to see the passion of one person who interpreted Scandinavian architecture along the banks of Lake Tahoe. While the house is not lavish or pretentious as houses go for the wealthy it feels quite like you may be living somewhere in Scandinavia. Apparently the owner felt that Emerald Bay was reminiscent of her visits to the fjords of that particular area. The house felt comfortable with some interesting and distinctive details. We particularly loved the sod roofs. The ticket price is worth the time and information given here. We would recommend hiking the Rubicon Trail which begins here. This trail was our most favorite of a week of hiking in the Tahoe area. The views are absolutely breath taking. Just remember what goes down must come up. We are 65 year olds who do not do a lot of hiking. We just took our time stopping as needed to catch our breath as we ascended back up the hill at Vikingsholm.

This was absolutely worth hiking to. Our 2 and 6 year olds loved made the hike a little longer but the views are spectacular and the home is very unique.

The hike down from the parking lot was easy, and going back up wasn't all that hard either (I'd call it "moderate.").

The views of Emerald Bay were spectacular from the beach, right in front of the castle.

Our tour guide was Linda, who's passion comes through in her historical tour. She's great!

The history is really cool, including about honorary ranger Helen Smith, who had the foresight to advocate for the preservation of the castle. Lorna Knight had the castle built from her distinct vision, and it's truly a marvel that brings to life a Viking castle from a bye gone era. Worth a visit if you're nearby.

+Pro Tip: Arrive early to get parking in the lot (at a cost of $10, unless you have a park pass, but remember that fee helps keep these parks open to the public).

There's a place near the castle where you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards, so if you have time, get out there in one of the prettiest spots on Lake Tahoe!

Starts off interesting, but then, fizzles. Its a short into to the place, then a self-guided tour. The "self-guided" part leave much to desire. Really takes only about 10 minutes, Cant see much, Cant go in the rooms. Read online, then look at pictures, about he same. Should be free.

On the west side of Lake Tahoe you will fine a kind of not hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered over and over again. The history behind the Vikingsholm is amazing and well worth your time to visit!

Whichever method you choose, it's a great tourist attraction. If you are in South Lake Tahoe, it is a must see, as is the hike to Upper and Lower Eagle Falls.

This is a historic home on beautiful Emerald Bay. It is styled as a Nordic home with many antiques. The tour is $10. The guide was terrific. I walked away in awe of Mrs. Knight who built this 24 room home. She was ahead of her time in many ways. You can enjoy a picnic on the bay, or take a boat out to a little offshore island which has a tea house built by Mrs Knight. Nice hikes onsite. We chose the short hike to waterfalls, a little over a half mile each way. Be warned you have a one mile hike down the beautiful trail (which use to be the driveway) to get to Vikinghom and it is steep. Fine for the fit. Bring water. They do sell a few snacks and drinks a one of the cottages. You can park at the top of the trail/driveway for a fee, or we parked across the road for free.

Get there early to park, even if it means that you arrive before it opens (there are plenty of places to wait on the beach). Parking costs $10 and there is a hike to get down to Vikingsholm itself. If it is summer, wear your swimming suits because the beach is absolutely lovely and you can spend some time exploring the sand and the water. We packed some light snacks and water for our kids because the hike down is fairly easy, but the hike back up is quite steep. Our 6-year-old was able to manage it, though.

Very cold water and beach is still covered by a lot of water from the snow melting. 1 mile downhill to beach and vikingsholm. It also joins the rubicon trail which is one of the best views of the lake as it hugs the shoreline. You pass through campgrounds on the way to D.L.Bliss state park where there is another beach at the bottom of the mountain. It is a 4 mile hike so 8 miles to and back. It takes about 2.5 hours each way so bring lots of water.

Great tour and visit to Vikingsholm! Docent Daniel (?) was great - totally informative and in tune with our group! Would recommend this tour to anyone interested in Tahoe and its history.

We walked down the hill to Vikingsholm and mostly enjoyed the walk and the natural beauty of this place. The house was nice (we didn’t go inside) and tourist info centre full of old pics and stories. So that was all good but mostly it’s about the bay and the park surrounds which are absolutely magnificent and worth a visit. The walk is a toughy though so you need to be fit if waking down from the high road.

What a unique place - a LIVING roof! Do not be deceived by the walk DOWN to it. You must walk back UP! Quite a challenge for many of the folks there. Be ready - have water - take your time!

Emerald Bay is quite lovely, but not easy to get to - 1mile walk and a big vertical drop! Interesting to hear of the inspiration of building this home along with seeing the Nordic details, quite unusual to be in the USA. Things we wish we had brought with us, as we were not going to walk back to the car to get them as it was much too far: swimsuits, inflatable floats, towels, picnic/snacks - if we had all of this we could have made a day of the gorgeous location and beautiful lake water! Lots of people floating around in the bay, looked so relaxing!

This house cost $250,000 to build almost 100 years ago so you can just imagine how big it is. It is huge and it is a must see. Guided tours starting at 10am with last one at 3:30pm. Beautiful furnishings and very well maintained. Put it on your ToDo list!!

Emerald Bay SP has the smallest parking lot I've ever seen for a popular state park. Wow! We visited May 13th which was a Saturday 2 weeks before Memorial weekend. No one apparently mans the booth on a busy weekend in May. No one I could see was checking to see if people paid the $10 for visiting. Missed opportunity for making some money, because when no one is there it's the honor system. Get there before 0800 for a peaceful hike.

Anyway, the hike is nice. 1.7 miles, the beginning a steep, paved incline. OK going down, slow coming back up. Turn right at the junction & Vikingsholm is maybe .3 miles. There's a visitor center (closed of course on the "off" season). Restrooms are open. Apparently you can tour the home when it's not the "off" season.
The views are outstanding! There's some picnic tables & a beach.
Worth a visit.

We returned to Vikingsholm during the off-season but before the park closed tours of the house (Sept). The Visitor Center houses a nice little gift shop and museum which we enjoyed before taking the tour of the house. Our tour guide was friendly and informative. After she giving us the history of the place and the story behind the construction and furnishing of the house, we were allowed to roam through designated areas on our own with an opportunity to ask questions or just converse. We're very glad we returned later in the season for the tour!

Vikingsholm is a must see!!!! Great experience & beautiful walk. We read lots of reviews and the hike down isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be; especially if you are use to walking on hills. I don't consider it a true hike. It's a decomposed granite road that is steep but nothing crazy. It's a mile down, and a mile walk back up. There are benches if you want to take a break. Took us 15 min to walk down, 30 min to walk back up. Definitely take the time to go the extra .2mi to see the Falls at the bottom.
A couple takeaways...
•Easy to find (GPS takes you right there)
•The drive is beautiful but be cautious, VERY steep drop offs and tons of people riding bikes...go with patience
•Parking is VERY limited, get there no later than 8:30am.
•Check out Eagle Falls, but be smart and use extreme safety measures

Though the hike down to see the Vikingsholm is just one mile, you feel it, at over 6,000 ft (and over 400 ft hike down - and UP). Even though I was already experiencing a bit of altitude sickness, I took the hike down there, to find that it was WORTH IT. We paid a $10. fee to take the hike, which is self-guided. On the way to the castle, it is an easy downhill trail. There were a few others there - families with children and some hikers, but not many, at the site of the home, since it was a weekday. I think the Vikinsholm itself was closed for the winter, but the outside of the structure is extraordinary. The views to & from on the trail are fantastic - trees, waterfalls, mountains and Emerald Bay. This was one of those memorable experiences, one not to be missed, if you are up to the hike.

Excellent tour of an amazing place full of fascinating history. The house is beautiful and designed after Viking architecture. We decided to take the trip from Camp Richardson by boat and it was well worth it. We avoided the mile walk up and down the path to Vikingsholm and the short ride was beautiful, especially the entrance to Emerald Bay. It provided a close up view of the small island in the bay with a tea house on top of it. There is a beach on the shore after your tour. Some great hiking is available if you choose to park and walk the path down.

We hiked down here mostly because we wanted to hike. The house is pretty cool, we didn’t pay for the guided tour. But there is a visitor center just a bit down the trail that has tons of information and you can easily spend a quality 30 plus minutes looking at pictures and reading about the history. If you aren’t physically fit don’t go. The walk there is very enjoyable because it’s all down hill. Coming back is challenging. My Fitbit said I did over a hundred flights of stairs on the hike down and back.

We got to the lake shore to spend some time after our hiking trip. It was a good choice from our group to visit this place and live this Scandinavian heritage. Built by an amazing woman who did a lot to help the society. Stunning

Great your! Nancy was our guide and she knows her stuff! 14 years I believe she's been doing the your. So interesting and 80% of the furnishings are original. A really fun trip. Parking a pain so get there early. They also limit the size of the your. It's seasonal so check the dates. Even if you can't do the your the grounds are fun to roam around on. The mile hike down is easy both ways if you are a normal active person.
Enjoy!

Had a great day walking the easy path to the castle
Once there we paid the $10 to tour the castle. Beautiful woodwork and original furniture. Tour guide was very knowledgeable. Then we hiked up to the falls. Strenuous hike up hill. Walking back was up hill
Take your time and enjoy the view.

The other reviewers have nicely described the enchanting scandinavian architecture of this former residence in the surreal setting of Emerald Bay. I read the tip that there only about 40 parking spots and street (hwy) parking is limited and close to the parking lot, actually a tow-away zone, so the advice was to come by 9:00 am in order to use the lot. We rolled in a few minutes before 9:00 on a Saturday morning in August and the highway already had maybe 80 cars along its sides. Many were in the tow-away zone and were being ticketed. It was a zoo topside and very busy lake level as well. I can only guess that even at 8:00 am, you'd probably still not be lucky enough to get a parking spot in the lot. First tour in summer is 10:30, with the visitor center opening at 10. Good luck! BTW, the route down to the home is a wide dirt/gravel road with great views in spots of the bay and some shade. My traveling companion was not athletic but managed the uphill return trip w/o much complaint!

We loved our visit to Emerald bay & Vikingsholm. The walk was enjoyable and the mansion was lovely. We walked to eagle falls and took some great photos.the parking was a nightmare. Not an easy place to turn around if you drive past, but we persisted and were happy that we did.

This gem is straight down from Emerald Bay Highway to the lakeside in Emerald Bay itself. If you are in decent shape, you can walk down and hike back up to the highway. If not, take the paddle wheeler from Zephyr Cove and see it from the water. Either way, the castle-like home and its' environs are definitely worth the effort. You will only be able to see the inside of Vikingsholm if you've chosen the hike. There are trails in and around the stone house which are fun with a picnic. You can take your swim suits and towels to swim in the bay after you've toured the house. If you are on the Dixie, you'll be able to see it from a fairly close distance on the water. As you enter the bay, you will see golden eagle nests as well as osprey habitat. Both methods are worth trying!

A visit to Vikingsholm requires either boating to the site or walking down a fairly steep but level mile trail (and then back up!) Based on online warnings, we arrived by 9:00 to find a space in the pay parking lot. (You can park for free on the road, but if you arrive later in the day, you may be walking a ways to the trailhead.) We hiked down to the lake's edge and, wanting to beat the arriving crowd, headed first thing for the nearby kayak rentals. We wanted to visit Fanette Island, where Vikingsholm's owner used to serve tea to her summer guests. After climbing the peak to see the stone tea house, we barely made it back to shore within our hour of rental. We then bought tickets for the castle tour ($10 for adults, $8 for ages 7-17) in a building near Vikingsholm. A tour was not available for a while, so we took the trail from the ticket office 0.3 mi up to Lower Eagle Falls. The falls were beautiful and well worth experiencing, as was the tour of Vikingsholm. The castle is very unique, built by a woman who clearly loved Scandanavian culture and architecture. After our tour and taking some photos, we began our hot and fairly strenuous hike back to the parking lot. (I caution those with young children that you may be carrying them back to your car.) Bring water and snacks/picnic lunch, and you can easily spend 1/2 the day or more in this gorgeous setting.

We went down a mile at the Eagle trail-Emerald Bay. Spectacular views and just pristine beach in the back yard of this home(castle). One of the best place to visit when you are in Tahoe.

Unfortunately the house was shut for the winter, but we enjoyed the stroll down and the less relaxing walk back in the sun, it was a lovely walk lake side with the views of Emerald Bay.

This out-of-the-normal setting for a Scandinavian castle is something not to be missed. Parking may be a little bit of problem, but the short walk from the road is worth it.

The place is great, but parking can be a headache, need to get there early, no later than 9, or finding a parking spot is almost impossible,

The only way to get here by land is a relatively steep trail- about a mile. You'll be glad you brought a drink. The house is amazingly accurate in its Scandinavian detail. I felt like I was back in Denmark. The tour is short because the house is small, but it's worth it. Make sure you peek into the kitchen for a good look at how it used to be. If you have little kids with you playing "spot the dragon" in the house is a good way to keep them occupied. The beach is small but good enough for wading. You can rent kayaks or paddle boards if you want to get out to the old tea house on the island. If you are going in hot weather be prepared for wasps. The sugar pines apparently draw more yellow jackets than anything else. They were everywhere. That aside, this was worth the hike. Just make sure you save energy for the climb back up. Or for the Rubicon, if that's where you're headed.

Great place to visit to see how to enjoy the lake life. Small walk but it is worth it. There is kayaking options and enjoy real nature

Riches to Riches. The playground of the rich and famous. To see the details that went into the construction of these residences is beyond even today's standards! Makes you want to win the Lottery!

My wife and I visited the Tahoe area for a week in September 2016 and we were lucky enough to spend a couple days at Emerald isle. One morning the traffic from South Lake was stopped due to a road closure and we were lucky enough to be the first people to get tickets for a tour through Vikingsholm. It is a beautiful home ripe with history that you should make sure is on your list when you are in the Tahoe area. Unbelievable craftsmanship. Left my wife and I awestruck, which pretty much the entire Lake Tahoe area does to you. Make sure you make the time to visit Vikingsholm. Take a paddle out to Vinnette island and visit the tea house up top. You will not be sorry.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Vikingsholm. Please make sure you pay attention to the warnings prior to beginning your mile long hike to the home. My wife and I hike and bike regularly so the hike was not a big deal for us, however we did see people who were having trouble on the way back up the trail. The trail is rather steep, going down is not the problem, your return could be a problem if you are not in shape or have any health issues. The home itself, the history and story behind the home is fascinating. The views of Emerald Bay on the hike and once at the home are stunning. Would recommend a visit!

My husband and I hiked down the 1 mile (all downhill) road to the castle. Unfortunately it was closed for the season, but it was still worth the walk, Very cool to see the structure is still looking good, courtyard was nice, nice view of the lake and the island. Very cool to walk on the beach as well. But the hike up isn't for the weak of heart, it's 1 mile uphill the entire way. Bring water. Restrooms are at the bottom by the castle though.

This is the 2nd time I visited. always a lot of people, lot of cars, parking is always bad (park in the lot is $10). But still worth seeing. You walk down the trail about a mile or so to get to the edge of the emerald bay. the vikingsholm is near the lake. I think ticket to the manor may be extra. We simply walked around and went back up.

This attraction requires a good hike through a very pretty wooded area overlooking the lake. The house itself was beautiful and the history was interesting too.

Long hike 1.5 miles down to the water. Going up was actually easier than going down. Beautiful hike and gift shop at the bottom had some history. View of the falls from the bottom.

Steep walk back up. Worth it. Paved path beautiful views home is lovely. Guide was well versed in history and facts. Nice ending to a great hike

A one mile hike downhill, parking is tough so go early before 9 am. Rubicon trailhead is there for an easy hike. Hike back to parking lot is all uphill for a mile

Get here EARLY if you want a shot at parking (cost is $10 in tiny lot) or park just outside the Eagle Falls trail for free or in their lot ($5) and walk over. It's a one-mile hike down to Vikingsholm on a gravel road, and you'll see a lot of people hauling coolers, chairs and umbrellas to spend the day on the beach there. Go to the visitor center and purchase tickets for the house tour (30 minutes) to see how Mrs. Knight and guests lived at its height. Well worth it! Plan for at least 90 minutes for everything.

Confession: We did not go inside Vikingsholm castle itself, but we did go to the museum, which is past the castle (also where you buys tickets to go inside the castle) and is incredibly informative. There is a discount for DL Bliss Park if you buy tickets for the castle; if you are energetic and have a lot of time, you can actually walk to DL Bliss from this area - the discount is for parking if you walk back up and drive over. We also took photos of the outside and it was beautiful. There are lots of picnic tables and a good amount of beach area (which seemed to fill very quickly), and plenty of shade near the castle itself. Also a beautiful, fairly short (but a bit of a workout) hike to the waterfall.

Walking down is easy. Coming back up is more difficult and there are signs all over warning you about the walk back up. The reason I found it difficult was mostly the lack of shade. Yes, it's uphill with no plateaus and no downhill portions, but the path is very wide (enough for a car+) and a lot of people who appear quite out of shape made it up the hill.

After reading reviews about the castle itself and going inside the museum, we decided we didn't want to spend the money to go inside. We felt like we got a good idea, and it was a very unique building with grass roof, intricate wooden carvings, etc.

Parking is pricey ($10) and the lot is small, but going early before the castle itself opened got us a spot on a summer weekday.

If you are in the area, this is a "must do". It's best to go in the morning when the sun shines down into the historic courtyard.

A wonderful Tahoe experience if you appreciate history. Possibly the best example of Scandinavian architecture in the US, sod roof and all. Check dates and times if you want a tour. Or just take a picnic and sit on the beach. (Yellowjackets were annoying last summer but it should be better this year after a big winter). The hike from Hwy 89 is a steep switchback but paved and easy footing, but you may want to stop and catch your breath. Boating in is lovely, and views are gorgeous no matter how you arrive!

We didn't take the tour of the home, just hiked to it. Nice views, steep hill back. great view of emerald bay at lake Tahoe

The house has been meticulously kept with the original furnishings. Narrative part of tour was short but they allowed you to walk through the house and grounds after the tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Such a unique and interesting house.

Emerald Bay with the historic Nordic style lodge aptly name Vikingsholm with worthy of an afternoon. It’s a breathtaking view from the highway vista, but also worthy of the hike down or boat trip to Emerald Bay. It’s one of the top star attractions of Lake Tahoe.

This is a truly amazing building and site. Visiting this place and taking the tour is worth it. Our tour guide was great and provided a very detailed history of the woman who owned and built Vikingsholm and her life. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The hike is beautiful and the area that surrounds it was just relaxing. There were a lot of people as it is tourist season but so worth it. Plan for parking cause that is challenging as it is a busy busy spot. Be prepared for a steep hike. Mansion has some amazing decor to it. Must see

This place is unreal! The labor of love, which is this home, is unparalleled. The level of detail and craftsmanship that went into building and preserving this home is something we definitely don't see anymore. The hike down is scenic and not too bad. The hike back up, on the other hand, is a whipping! My tip is to head back up as the sun is going down to make it a little less hot! We were there in June, and it got pretty hot! Definitely plan on renting a kayak and going out to the island, it's a view you can only experience by kayaking/paddle-boarding and climbing. It's not accessible by boat.

Hiked down to this place. Joined the tour for a very reasonable price for my wife and teenaged child. The house is overlooking emerald bay, interesting history and design. They were doing renovations at the time but still a good tour. I like historical places so i always enjoy it. Be prepared to hike though and bring water. Hike down is easy, hike up may be a little bit of a challenge if you're not used to hiking. This is a moderate hike. Wear hiking shoes or comfortable tennis shoes. Would not advise to wear flip flops. Staff were very friendly.

Parking at the top cost $10. This will also cover the cost of the other state park (DL Bliss) just down the road. The walk down is a mile. ( The first U turn is about half way to the house). The tour of the house cost an additional $8. You can access the dining and living rooms on the first floor. You can see in all of the rooms on the second floor. Nice to see beautiful location glade it is preserved.